Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 161535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 538(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 161535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 538(@300wpm)
“Okay then.” I lean over his shoulder, studying the map. He gives me an affronted look but doesn’t move away. I’m guessing he’s not used to people invading his personal space. Too bad, because all of my privacy has been stripped away and invaded since I got here, so he’s just going to have to deal. I point at something that looks like dash marks over a large section of land. “Is that a swamp?”
He studies it for a moment. “I suppose.”
“Okay, well, I don’t see any other swamps.” I trace my finger over the map, ignoring the grime under my nail beds. Nothing to be done about it right now. “There’s a city here on the edge of the swamp, and a larger one here. What’s this one called?”
“Sunswallow.”
I have a vague recollection of that name. “I think Jemet said that was where your other army was coming in. So this must be where we arrived.” I tap the map. “And if your sun goes east to west like I’m used to, we’ve been heading south to get away from the army. That won’t take us anywhere but the coast, according to this. Do we want to go there?”
“I don’t know. Do we like cranky sea gods and tidal waves?”
I guess we don’t, judging from that tone of voice. “Okay, maybe we head east. It looks like the swamp peters out at this spot over here. What’s this?”
“A mountain range.” Kalos’s tone implies he could not be more bored.
I tap the clear area to the right of the mountains. “This looks promising. What’s this say?”
“Here be dragons.”
“That…that’s a joke, right?”
He cocks his head, eyeing me. “Why would anyone write a joke on a map?”
He’s got an excellent point about that. I swallow hard. “Maybe not there, then. Okay, new plan. I think we’ve got enough provisions to last us about a week. We’ll switch directions and head west, to move along the shore.” I trail my finger, indicating where we’ll go. “Once we hit the shoreline, we’ll head north. It looks like there’s a fair number of settlements in that direction, and if we hit the city that your other Aspect just left, they shouldn’t be expecting that.”
Kalos grunts. “I suppose.”
“Well, I think it’s a decent plan.”
“You made friends with a goat,” he points out. “I question your judgment.”
I keep smiling, because I’m used to endless grumping. Wasn’t David always an absolute Eeyore when he was in the worst of his cancer treatments? But one of us needs to keep our chin up. “You’re not wrong, considering I elected to be your Anchor.”
He eyes me. Humphs. If he weren’t Apathy, I’d say he was amused at my rejoinder.
I take the map from him and study it, reinvigorated by having a plan. There’s no scale on this map, but it shows a few roads and what look like rock-like landmarks. The temple area we just left isn’t too far from the city, so if we spend a few days in the swamps and circle back, I’m hoping we can hit the shore before we starve to death.
Otherwise, I might have to learn how to catch a gator.
Or eat Dingle.
No, actually. I’d never eat Dingle. That’d be like eating the family dog.
I’ll figure something out. I use my thumbnail to make marks on the map, trying to determine miles or leagues or whatever they’re called here. Of course, getting to town poses a new problem. “We’re going to need weapons to defend ourselves. Any ideas?”
As I glance over at the god, his lip curls. “How should I know? You’re the one in charge.”
“You’re literally a god.”
“Of disease.” He sniffs. “And I’ve been cast out on the mortal realm with a fool at my side.”
“Well, I’m not from here. You still probably know more than me.”
Eyes narrowed, he turns to look at me. His look could curdle milk. “Exactly why did they give me you as an Anchor?”
I fold up the map. “Because no one else would take the job.”
Chapter
Ten
After two days of trudging through endless swamps, I’m ready to throttle Kalos. Or Dingle. Or myself.
I never thought I’d hate water so much. Or mosquitos. Or trees. Or mud. I’m lucky that the alligators or whatever else lives here avoid us. They instinctively shy away from us, and I’m guessing that it’s because of Kalos, and the same reason that the mosquitos don’t even bite him. He gives off some sort of vibe I can’t see, and they don’t mess with him.
I’m not so lucky as that. I’m bug-bitten over every bit of skin, even the parts that aren’t exposed. I can’t scratch because I don’t want to make things worse (and I know if I start, I’ll never stop) so I apply mud and grit my teeth. We have to pause multiple times a day so I can pull leeches off my skin. Luckily, they fall off with a touch of the herby-smelling oil that Jemet gave me. I’d cover myself in it, but the water would wash it away. So I just pause, dab, watch them fall off, pause and dab and watch them fall.