City of Towers_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [8]
“That would explain that bit about the fight with the cannibal children.” Lei frowned. “My parents were involved in the early work with the warforged, though … it’s entirely possible they did build Pierce.”
Jode shrugged. “I was simply speaking extemporaneously, my lady. I had no idea my words held even one grain of truth.”
“Huh. And Daine?” Lei glanced back at Daine and Pierce, neither of whom were paying she and Jode the least bit of attention. “He didn’t actually train with House Deneith?”
“I’m no oracle, Lady Lei. I was just spinning a tale for our prickly sergeant. Besides, can you really see our captain in a house of mercenaries?”
Lei smiled, then broke into laughter. After a moment, Jode began to laugh with here. Daine scowled as he and Pierce caught up to them. “All right, you’ve had your fun. Now let’s get on with it. I want to sleep in a bed tonight, and we still have to find your loving suitor, Lei.”
“Follow me … Lord Daine.”
Still smiling, Lei led them through the crowd.
Daine had heard stories of Sharn, but mere words could not convey the overwhelming presence of the city. The wide street was filled with a churning mob. Half a dozen different languages filled the air. A Talentan merchant was haggling with a young gnome over the price of halodan mealworms. A pale elf wearing a golden gown and a thin mask of beaten silver was walking down the street, accompanied by a massive ogre laborer, who was carrying a trunk formed from bronzed bones. A patrol of blackcloaked guardians watched the streets with suspicious eyes and the promise of swift retribution.
The most disorienting part was the sky—or the lack thereof. This district was entirely enclosed in one of the massive towers of Tavick’s Landing, and above their heads the hollow core of the tower stretched up out of sight. Gargoyles and hippogriffs whirled in the air above them, darting between the different levels of the tower. The walls of the central tower were easily fifty feet thick, and buildings and businesses were carved directly into the walls. The interior of the tower must have been six or seven hundred feet across, filled with smaller spires and buildings.
“Nice place,” Jode said, taking it all in stride. “At least you don’t have to worry about the rain. I’d watch out for falling hippogriff dung, though. That’s insult and injury for you.”
“There’s still rain,” Lei said absently, studying the street ahead. “I’m not a specialist in weather, but apparently enough condensation builds up in the heights of the tower to rain on the people at the bottom.”
“Isn’t that always the way? So where are we going, my lady?”
“A place called Dalan’s Refuge. It’s on the upper levels of this quarter. That robber had a few sovereigns in his purse. Unless you feel like climbing a lot of stairs, I was hoping to find a coach.”
“After all you’ve been through, my lady, I would say that you deserve a little luxury at the end.”
Daine scowled.
“You disagree, Captain?” Jode inquired.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” Daine said. “We only have a few coins to our name. I hate to waste even one.”
“You worry too much, my captain. Once we arrive at Lord Hadran’s estate, Lady Lei has promised to see us well-compensated from his lordship’s treasury.”
“I know Hadran will look after you,” Lei said. “He’s a good man, and—Oh, there’s one!”
She waved, and a vessel dropped from the air to meet them. At a glance, the skycoach was a long, narrow rowboat built from firepine and darkwood. A figurehead of a swan was embedded at the prow of the ship; the image of its outstretched wings was engraved along the length of the boat, glittering in the cold light of the mystical torches. The driver was a young woman dressed in a simple white gown bearing the emblem of a swan on the left breast. Her short, silvery hair and wide eyes hinted at a touch of elven blood.
“How may I help you?” the driver inquired.
“There’s four of us,” Lei replied, stepping into the floating boat. “To Round Wind in Dalan’s Refuge.”
Money exchanged hands, the rest of them climbed