章 57: Chapter 57

"Who?

"Riella Mekka. I'm from Emerald, and I need to speak with the king."

"The king is a busy man."

"Tell him!" she insisted, wishing she could reach through the speaker and throttle the man.

"Very well."

The post went silent, and she sat with her back against it, pulling out a brush and making some attempt to straighten her hair. The best she managed was to put it in a tail that she then pinned to her head.

The voice crackled suddenly. "I apologize for the delay, my lady. Your request to enter the city has been granted."

"As if there was a doubt," she muttered. She stalked across the bridge. Its wood was warped and worn. Easy to destroy if they wanted to isolate the city from ground traffic.

But the water still allowed a point of entry. She glanced over at the gray scum atop the liquid as a huge hump with jagged fins heaved from the muck, massive and slick.