and what wasn't. Laughing female voices drifted to her ears. Ahead of them on a cobbled path stamped a herd of female centaurs. Each possessed a mane of hair, some red, some brown, some pale, their chests covered by blue cloaks, the color marking which clan they belonged to. Every one of them carried a basket or satchel overflowing with wool.
The women approached an enormous, glistening pearl gate that arched toward the skydome and led straight into the pulsing heart of the city. Jewel's excitement expanded, grew, unfurling through her entire body. She searched her senses for any sign or shiver of danger but felt nothing. She wasn't surprised. She never knew when she herself would be in peril.
"The Inner City is so much different than the Outer City. Here, the people are friendly and honest and hardworking. Notice that no one is carrying weapons."
"None that we can see, that is."
How like him, she mused with a grin, to suspect everyone of foul play. He was a warrior to the marrow of his bones.
"Get ready," Gray said. To their left, a group of robed - what the hell were they? They were as ugly as legend claimed Medusa was, with too-big, black eyes, a too-big beaky nose, and hair comprised of serpents. Those snakes hissed and slithered from their heads. Gray slid his hand down, wrapping his fingers around Jewel's. They jolted into motion. Because his backpack was under his robe, he looked like he was some sort of humped-backed creature.
"Pull your hood tight around your face," he said, and as he spoke, he fitted the hilt of one of his blades in his hand, covering the metal with the cuff of his clothing. When she complied, he added quietly, "We're going to try and blend in with those snake - things."
"Gorgons," she said. "Do not look directly in their eyes; if your gaze meets one of theirs, you will be turned into stone."
"Ah, shit."
"Why bother trying to blend in with them? No one will recognize us with these robes covering our faces, and we aren't being followed."
"In case anyone is questioned, they won't know that two individuals entered the city at a specific time. Anyone who sees us will think we're part of this group, and I highly doubt the demon queen will make the connection."
Ah, that made sense. If she hadn't been glad to have Gray with her before, this would have convinced her. "I can project my thoughts into their heads and convince them we are not even here."
"That tires you out, and I need you strong."
The Gorgons didn't pay them any heed as they came up behind them. They were too busy discussing - my gods. Her ears perked, and she listened intently, frowning all the while. A cold sweat trickled over her skin. Back and forth the Gorgons threw comments about the demon and vampire armies that had passed through their village, demanding to know if they'd seen a human male and female. Jewel stiffened.
The vampires and demons were working together? How... odd. The two races had never outright warred, but they had never allied themselves, either. What had brought them to mutual terms?
Reeling, she glanced up at Gray. His face was partially shadowed by his hood, but she saw the grim line of his lips. Had he understood them? She projected her consciousness into his mind, but met with that frustrating block.
He squeezed her hand, and she bit her lip. Did he know she'd just tried to read him?
"Where were they headed?" she asked the Gorgon in front of her, using their harsh dialect of the Atlantean language.
All of them skidded to a halt and turned to her.
Gray growled low in his throat, but he kept his head turned.
"Well?" she demanded, pretending she had every right to be among their group and question them. "Toward Javar's palace," one of them answered, and they all kicked into motion.
Which meant her enemy was headed away from the Inner City. That was good, but... Why journey all the way to Javar's, the former High King of the dragons? Javar had been dead for many months, and Darius, the new king, had sent a legion of his men to protect the palace from invaders.
This made no sense.
The moment she and Gray passed through the city gates, they pulled away from the Gorgons.
"The point was to blend in with those things, not announce we were there and didn't belong," Gray whispered in her ear, his tone fierce. He