Light of the Seventh Spire Book Excerpt #1
Nora and Rev have been captured! To save them, Monty and her companions must sneak into the ancient pyramid where they are being held. To do that, they need a disguise to fool their darkling captors.
They entered the small waiting room and was met by a new suffocating smell. Hides of creatures hung on the walls. Many were darklings but two human skins were stretched out on the back wall. Behind a long wooden counter, a small thin man with a large pointed nose and gray bushy eyebrows glared at them. He had long wispy silver hair that extended past his shoulders. A thick gray beard circled his mouth. Brown, stained overalls and black boots covered his frail body. His long bony fingers strummed the counter.
“Zee, good to see you again,” he said. “What have you brought me today?”
“I am here for four skins,” she said. “I have six dead ejilah outside. They were killed earlier today.”
“Fresh kills, I can work with that,” he said while stroking his beard.
“Don’t try anything, Wurm. I have armed men outside.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it. Well, what kind of skins are you looking for? I just got in a fresh elven girl and an old male orc. What do you want to be today?”
“Do you got anything to help me with the ladies, wurm?” Parn said with a smile. “You know what I am saying?” His voice had grown deeper with a chuckle.
Calais groaned while Zevri stared at him with daggers in her eyes. He didn’t notice and just slapped the counter a few times while laughing. The old man smiled at his remark but didn’t laugh.
“You have strong, well-made skin,” he said while poking Parn’s muscular arm. “Any woman would be a fool to pass you up, but I myself like a little variety. I have plenty here to accommodate your desires.”
“Great, but none of that strange stuff like horns coming out of weird places,” he said.
“We want four darkling skins,” Zevri growled while still glaring at Parn. “One for two males, one female and one small female.”
“Small female?” Wurm said. He looked over the counter at Monty. “Well, aren’t you interesting?”
“She is not for sale,” Zevri said. “Four skins, now.”
“Oh very well,” he said while waddling off to the back. After a few moments, he came back with four insect-like brooches. They reminded Monty of glass cockroaches. “I have two vohmannah, one ejilah and a small slave woman. That should fit you and I am especially proud of the woman skin. I captured her pain and despair perfectly. A real bargain if you ask me.”
“Its a deal,” Zevri said. “I will have them unload the bodies.” She turned and headed for the door.
“Wait my dear, our transactions are not complete,” he said. Zevri stopped and glared at him. Her grip on the spear tightened while she gritted her teeth. “I deal also in information and I have many clients that would be interested in your trade for darkling skins.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” she said. “We have an agreement that our dealings are secret. Isn’t that what you do with all clients.”
“In this case, I could be kept quiet if you leave the white girl with me.”
-Excerpt from Light of the Seventh Spire, Chapter 30
