Amazing cover image made by Shreya_VA <3
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They reach the edge of New Cresthill by nightfall. Before entering the town, Lavern quickly slides off Nesosa's back and waves Naomi on to do the same. She hops off and her landing is sloppy compared to his, but Lavern puts a hand on her shoulder to steady her. He then looks at Nesosa with a grin.
"Sorry, Nes. You have to do it. You know how townsfolk feel about your kind," he says and crosses his arms.
Nesosa lets out an overly dramatic groan and throws her head back. "Ugh... Dae ah have to? It makes mah croup chafe ev'ry time." She shifts her legs.
Lavern nods and chuckles. "Yeah yeah, I know. But you've gotta. Just for tonight," he says. Nesosa groans again and rolls her eyes.
"Fine... but be ready fur me tae complain fur the rest o' the pumpin' night aboot how mah bahookie itches." She frowns at him and rolls her shoulders back, sticking her arms out at her sides and closing her eyes serenely.
Naomi goes to ask what she's doing, but stops once she sees Nesosa's horse body begin to glow white with shimmering specks of light glimmering off like fireflies. Her whole lower half of her body is engulfed by the light, and when it grows dim and returns to normal, her horse half is gone, and in its place are human legs, covered by black leather trousers.
She whines and shifts her rear uncomfortably. "Bugger ah hate daein' this... always feels as though mah tail is shoved balls deep up mah bahookie," she huffs and tugs on her pants. "Pumpin' shank traps..." she grumbles.
Lavern laughs and pats her shoulder now that she's closer to their height, but she is still considerably taller than them due to her centaur genetics.
Naomi smiles wide at Nesosa. "You are so cool," she says.
Malachi sighs. "Alright, now are you all done wasting time? Let's just get to the tavern so they can be on their way, and so we can start heading for Ecrin tomorrow." He frowns at Naomi.
She rolls her eyes. "Ugh, fine... I thought wizards were supposed to be cool..." she mumbles. Malachi growls.
"I already told you; I'm not a wizard," he states. He takes a deep breath and nods to himself. "Forget it. Come on, this way." He starts walking into the town. Naomi, Lavern, and Nesosa exchange a glance before following.
It's too dark to see the town clearly, so rather than stopping to take in the sights of nothing, they head straight for the tavern, a small cozy wooden building called the 'Drunken Ducks Inn'. On the wooden sign beside the door is the name and a painting of three ducks swimming in a foaming flagon.
As they enter, Lavern pauses outside the door, throwing a cautious glance to the night sky and the bright full moon before taking a deep breath and following the others in.
The tavern is a long room with a burning fire pit in the center. Around the edges of the room are wooden tables and benches, a few with people sitting at them. At the far end of the tavern is a bar counter, and behind it is a short but broad woman wearing a dark green dress and a stained white apron tied around her waist. She has curly red hair tied back in a messy bun and violet eyes. She's holding a flagon in one hand and a rag in the other, wiping the flagon and counter down. Beside the fire is a man holding a lute, merrily strumming and playing a soft, elegant song.
As the group enters, the woman behind the counter looks up and grumbles. "Oh for the love of Mazenya, what now?" She sets the rag and flagon down, leaning forward on the counter. Her irritated expression instantly fades into a smile as she sees Lavern.
YOU ARE READING
Aramora
Fantasy(Imperium Saga, Book 2) Naomi Morris lives an average, boring teenage life. That is up until a strange old man moves into the house next door with only a single box. One day, she sneaks into his house and inside she finds something she never would h...
