The World Which Is

Chapter 63

[a detail: I have changed all spelling of Knox to Nox. (only in my file at this point since there ins't an easy way to do that on the sites.) and that's how it's going to be spells for a while going forward. My main reason is that the name of the place had only been spoken, and with a silent letter, those who then wrote it down, would have no reason to put it in. The second reason is that he helps explain how it is that no one had been able to find it again (hopefully)]

"Well?" Brandon motions to the building behind the booths filling the square.

"It's...nice?" I'm not entirely sure what he's expecting. I figure that's the library, and it is in surprisingly good condition, considering the buildings I've seen getting here. This is the 'better' part of Detroit, according to Brandon. The good part of the city is much further. And there is a marked improvement in the construction, but yes, none of them matches this one. With its clean stone work. I can tell what's been replaced because they went with a grayer and thicker stone, but they're cut in the same rectangle as the others, taking the exact place of the one replaced.

"That's it? How many buildings like this are there in this town of yours?"

"None. But I walked through Toronto. I saw abandoned towns. Fought in a dungeon. I'm impressed with how good the building looks, considering what's around, but it's still just a building."

"That houses more books than you'll be able to read in your life."

I roll my eyes. "Those are going to be in the building's inventory."

He smiles. "Ah. So that's the problem. Come on." He guides me through the booths and merchants yell at us to buy what they're selling. There a sense of permanent temporariness to the structure. Unlike those in permanent market places, these are mostly fabric, which would be so they can be easily taken down to moved to another location, but a lot of the visible wear is along the wooden posts holding them up, like they haven't been removed in so long the sun bleached that more than the rest.

"We aren't going in the front?" I ask when he heads for the side of the building.

He snorts. "They'd never let either ones of us in that way."

"So we're going in the back door?" He gives me a surprised look, then a smirk, and I realize what I said and my ears burn.

"Side door, actually."

I see the guard just as Brandon says, "Wait here."

I'm tempted to say I won't get in his way, but I figure he doesn't want his contact to have a chance to see my face. Then, as the conversation turns visibly tense, I know why he probably didn't want me there. I'm tempted to go stop him. I'm really tempted. My willpower bar flashes and I lose some of it. That's how badly I want to stop him.

When he motions me over, the guard looks greenish. The 'I think I might throw up' kind, not the 'I have non-human in my species' one.

"Did you really have to threaten him?" I demand, and Brandon looks offended.

"I didn't threaten him, did I, Jimmy?"

The shake of the head is so fast the helmet can't keep up.

"Look," I tell him. "I'm sorry. Can I do something to make it up to you?"

"Dennis," Brandon grumbles.

"No, no. It's really good." He speaks so fast even I can tell it isn't true. "Brandon just had to remind me of the situation he...pulled me out of."

I open my mouth, then close it and settle for glaring at Brandon. "We're going to talk about this."

The shrug he gives me is pure 'I don't care'. I lose a bit more willpower not reacting to it.