It didn't take much long afterward to reach the small city of Isma.
Everyone kept to themselves and didn't seem to be bothered by new people that appeared in their city. They looked different too - they exuded darkness. Their skin was gray, their hair was dark as night and their teeth were razor sharp. I caught one eating raw fish as he walked beside us and I couldn't look away.
Julian whispered in my ear, his breath hot, "Didn't your parents teach you it's rude to stare?" He took my hand and held it tight as he led me through the crowded street. The streets were alive, buzzing, much in the way my hometown would on a Friday night.
I shook my head. "I think I recognize them from when Robyn was rallying people under him."
He nodded but didn't look at me as he spoke. "We won't see Q here, he lives far away. No one here will recognize you."
Just as he said it, some of the men and women in the crowd looked at Julian and bowed their head slightly.
"They recognize you," I whispered as we moved past them.
He nodded. "Yes, they would. I used to visit all the time when I lived with Vyssen. They are all her subjects. Word will get to her soon that I am here."
I looked at the lamposts and noticed that as the sun began to set and night started to settle that there wasn't any electricity. The lamps had small flames in them not bulbs. "Why no electricity?"
He shrugged. "They like to do things their own way - they rather stay in the comforts of the past rather than move forward. I think the only thing they seemed to be convinced of was indoor plumbing."
"Oh, thank God," I murmured as he led me through the threshold of a large house.
A man greeted us just as we stepped in.
He seemed nice enough and talked to Julian animatedly about the town and the people as if they were old friends catching up. Julian seemed in his element, more relaxed than I'd seen him since we made it to town. I let myself relax too and wandered around the small lobby examining the paintings and wallpaper.
"Who is this lovely young lady?"
I turned around and saw that the man had been referring to me.
Julian responded. "My cousin Ava, insisted on coming with me to visit Tartus."
I thought nothing of the name. Most likely still hiding my identity.
The man turned around and looked at some drawers behind him. "Not many venture to this part of the Underworld, you must be very brave. Or foolish."
I smiled leaning over the counter with my chin propped up in my hand as my elbow rested on the counter. "So which one is Julian?"
The man laughed. "Definitely foolish." I laughed as he turned to us handing each of us a key. "Lord Julian, your usual room and Miss Ava, your own room. Adjacent to each other, I'm sure you'll find both to be comfortable."
I grabbed the ancient looking key from his hand as Julian took his.
They wished each other a good night and after making sure we'd receive food in our rooms soon, Julian led the way upstairs. The rooms were better than the first inn we stayed in the weeks prior. It was clean, comfortable and in no time I'd taken a hot shower (I imagined some sort of magic was involved since they had no electricity), and dressed in comfortable long pants and a long sleeve shirt.
After finishing my stew dinner a music outside made me open the windows wide and when I looked at the crowd below, I laughed. "A band."
"Yes," a voice said beside me. "They're still celebrating Saddaim."
