We never saw the ambassador.

  The guards escorted us through the backstreets of the city. I had been hoping to see the wonderful city that ran on steam, water, and wind power. Since the Camadt couldn’t use magic, their cities were powered by more natural means. I’d heard it called basic, since there were supposed to be much more complicated machines in the rest of the Universe, but here on the Tefira, capacitors shorted out, which put a cap on the types of machines that could be built.

  Unfortunately, all I saw was the backside of buildings that looked the same as every other city as we were rushed down back alleys and almost shoved us into a stable where a brown furred Ogre was tending to his animals.

  “You have one hour.” The guard with a red star on his armor glared at the pig-faced man.

  The Ogre smiled at my brother as he pet the teal feathered Demigryph. “You’re not from around here.”

  Vin gripped Nipper’s harness with his upper hands as he peeked inside the building. “That obvious?”

  “They don’t act like they could be your next meal.” The Ogre snorted as he looked around me at the empty street. “What brings you to the continent of death?”

  “We need mounts and supplies to get us to Gedu.” Starna stepped forward and put her hand in her pocket. “We have-”

  “The food talks for you?” The dark-eyed man turned around and focused on my brother. “Don’t tell me a softie’s made a pet out of you.”

  The tanned Elf wore an emotionless mask as she took a step back. The Ogre advanced on her until I blocked his path.

  “She’s an ambassador on a diplomatic mission.” I looked down at him. “Show her some respect.”

  “Respect!” The pigman snorted. “The currency of respect here is power of the mind and body.” He looked around me at Starna. “You’re smart enough to bring a Camadt with you, but you should have left your human flesh-stick at home.” A smile parted his face. “Remember that little snackie when you’re eating your teeth after you talk back to someone that’s…” His smile widened. “Not as nice as I am.”

  “We need mounts and supplies.” Starna cleared her throat as if she was worried that I was going to do something to prove that I wasn’t weak.

  I moved enough out of the way between them so that she could talk, but not completely to the side in case he decided that he wanted to try to intimidate her again.

  “Where you headed?” The Ogre acted like he hadn’t heard her repeat the request as he flicked his chin at Nipper. “You’re not trappers, I hope?”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “Gedu Keep.” Starna struggled to keep the irritation out of her voice.

  His brown eyes widened. “Fires haven’t even cooled and they’re lettin’ treasure hunters in?” He shook his head. “Damn shame.”

  “We’re not treasure hunters.” I cut in. “This is Ambassador Starna Shellock of the Malus Kingdom and we’re here on a diplomatic mission to the Seekers of Nevnua.”

  The Ogre eyed me for a moment, then shrugged. “If that’s your story, you aren’t getting very far. Gedu burned down almost a week ago.”

  “It what!?” Starna’s voice squeaked.

  “Squids showed up about a month ago and started causing a fuss. Last caravan that came in reported that the whole thing was up in flames. Don’t know how they did it, but the Camadt sent a whole garrison to root the cultists out.” He pet the large, wingless, four-legged bird in the stall beside him. “If a group of Camadt couldn’t stop them, you sure you want to take your pet and meatstick out there?”

  The beautiful Elf hesitated, then shook her head. “Is there a way-”

  “Magic don’t work here.” The Ogre snorted as he stopped petting the Demigryph to motion at her. “You’re showin’ signs of it, so I don’t have to explain. The only way to send messages here is by runner.” He grumbled. “Nevnua are the only ones the Cams will let make a magic outpost and the ones we had here left when the fort got attacked the first time.”

  He walked over to an empty stall and rooted around behind the bags of grain until he found a map. “Here we go!” An evil smile crossed his face. “What type of coins are you using to pay?”

  I pulled out a gold coin and offered it to him.

  “You let the meatstick hold your money?” The Ogre shook his head as he turned to Starna. “You need to keep it on your pet over there. If I wasn’t such an honest Ogre…” He let the mild threat hang in the air as he folded the map under his arms.

  The tension built for a few seconds as we waited for him to finish. Once he decided that he wasn’t going to get a rise, he continued. “Bah, whatever. But it’s going to take a lot more than that. Things are more expensive here than on the mainland and there’s no way I’m letting a Elf rent some of my mounts when all she has is a pet and a meatstick.”

  I pulled out two more coins, but that didn’t get his arms to unfurl. A fourth one didn’t do the trick either. Considering that we’d bought Nipper for a single gold coin, he was wanting more than double what the mounts were worth.

  “I’m the only stablemaster that will deal with your kind.” The Ogre snorted as if he’d read my thoughts. “You’re free to shop around, but the guards’ll arrest you if you try walking around without an escort right now.” He jabbed his thumb at Vin. “And your pet don’t count.”

  “No, but Vincent could go by himself and secure the mounts.” Starna took a coin out of my hand and pocketed it.

  The two of them stared at each other until she reached for my hand again.

  The Ogre snatched the three coins out of my hand, dropping the map in his haste. He motioned at the fallen item as he pocketed the coins. “That’s a map of the New Kazadt. Closest Nevua stronghold is in Hilde.”

  I picked up the fallen map and opened it up while Starna walked over to the stalls to pick out our mounts. The continent was almost 2,500 miles wide and Hilde was on the southeastern side, which was almost the direct opposite of where we were in Akavar on the southwestern edge.

  “Wouldn’t it be faster to go by boat?” I pointed at the map.

  The Ogre snorted as he put a saddle on the teal Demigryph. “The rhinos live in the mountains. There’s no port on that side and even if you found a captain crazy enough to drop you off, none of you look like rock climbers.”

  I folded the map and put it in my pack. It looked like we had a long hike ahead of us.

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