The Cyber Chronicles - Book I: Queen of Arlin
Page 29
Chapter Thirteen
At noon the next day, they came within sight of Olgara. Unlike the villages that dotted Arlin’s verdant countryside, Olgara was a rambling metropolis of low, white-washed stone buildings. It straddled a river that vanished into the Badlands, and its limited farmland ran along the Barrier Mountains’ foothills. Few crops grew in its poor soil, so the farmland consisted mostly of grazing for goats, sheep and asses. The King’s abode dominated the city, a creamy marble palace with silver domes topped by graceful minarets. Tassin longed to go there and be welcomed into its cool luxury.
Sabre eyed her. “I hope you’re not planning to go up there and knock on the door.”
“Not looking like a penniless beggar, no. I must get clothes more fitting to my station.”
“And since you are penniless, just how are you going to buy more clothes?”
“You will have to fight again, so we can make money by betting.”
Sabre gave a bark of laughter. “Oh, I will, will I? Maybe I don’t fancy the idea.”
“Sabre, you are sworn to serve and protect me.”
“No I’m not.”
She frowned. Now that he was free, he was no longer her servant. “I saved your life!”
“You’re the reason I nearly got killed.”
Umgar watched them with tinkling eyes. Tassin glowered at Sabre, unable to refute this. “Just how do you propose to make money so we can eat, then?”
He smiled at her growing ire. “I can probably get a job to support you, but not to buy fancy clothes so you can go and wriggle your butt to impress the King.” She gasped and tried to slap him, but he caught her wrist and shook his head, saying, “That may work wonders with the fops at court who tread on your toes, but it doesn’t work so well with me.”
“You are insufferable! You are a rude, ignorant, disloyal, disrespectful bully!”
Sabre released her. “You tried to hit me, remember? Perhaps you’d like me to leave?”
“Yes!”
His brows rose, and he turned away as if to jump down from the wagon.
“No!” Tassin grabbed his arm, and he turned back to her.
“Well, make up your mind.”
She refused to meet his eyes. “I cannot manage on my own.”