Page 92 of Lore of the Tides

Lore dug out the coin and handed it to her. Simi’s grandmother quickly placed it in a box with a mighty-looking lock. She tucked the key, which was strung on a cord, into her dress.

Svalja didn’t balk at the coin, but once they left the port city, they should find a bank to exchange it. If one wasn’t listed in the pamphlet upstairs, Lore would inquire tomorrow.

“Joya will collect you when your rooms are ready. Checkout is promptly at ten bells. If you are late, we charge you for every quarter bell that you linger.”

“Thank you, my Lady.” Hazen bowed unnecessarily, as she had already returned to her book.

Lore shoved Hazen as they made their way back to the common room. “You, my friend, are outrageous.”

“I admit, she was quite impervious to my charms, but no matter, we acquired the rooms!”

Small victories.

The boys dropped their packs on the floor and collapsed into the nearest chairs within the common room. Lore dropped her pack besideFuba’s and crossed the large room to browse the bookshelves.

She was happy to see that there was a variety of languages here, and a few were in Alytherian.

She was flipping through one when a shadow fell over her, blocking the light.

Lore glanced up to see a female orc—incredibly tall with a broad, kind face, ivory-colored tusks, and twin braids that hung down to her knees, possibly a fellow traveler by the size of the pack on her back—looking through the books as well.

“Oh, I’m sorry, am I blocking the light?” The orc’s voice was pleasantly deep.

“It’s no matter; I don’t think I’m going to read this one anyway,” Lore said as she placed the small book back in its spot on the shelf. It actually looked really good. An assassin romance—the love story was between an assassin posing as a girl in a traveling theater troupe and the princess of the neighboring kingdom, who she had been contracted to assassinate. If only Lore had the time to eat and read and live her life at leisure, she would have asked to bring it up to the room and read it during her bath.

Maybe she could purchase the book from the innkeeper? It was not like she hadn’t the gold. Lore didn’t know quite what to do with all the coin the queen had bestowed upon her departure.

“You haven’t seen any maps on the shelf, have you?” asked the orc.

Lore was startled out of her musings as she stroked the spine of the assassin’s love story longingly.

“Maps? I—uh, no, I haven’t.” She hadn’t even thought to lookfor any maps on this bookshelf. It had seemed to be filled with novels and, on the bottom shelves, picture books for little ones.

“Too bad.” The orc offered a massive hand to Lore. “I’m Pytheah, a treasure hunter. I’ve found maps here before.”

“Oh, I’m, um, Lara... traveler,” she finished lamely, taking her offered hand. Would she ever learn how to come up with a backstory? At least they had decided to use false names while on the barge from hell. It had been Finn’s idea. And he definitely hadn’t suggested that his name beFuba.

“Traveler, huh? All right, Iama stranger, no need to spill all your secrets.”

Lore laughed. “I’ve never met a treasure hunter before.”

Pytheah smiled as her ears turned red. “I’m not surprised, there aren’t very many of us; it’s not really something that pays the tax collector.”

“I suppose that would depend on how successful of a treasure hunter you were.”

Pytheah laughed. “You’re right. Depends on the treasure hunter.” Pytheah leaned in, her voice dropping even lower as she wiggled her eyebrows. “I think after this score, I’ll never again have to hide in my pantry, pretending I’m not home when those bastards come knocking on my door.”

All right, Lore was intrigued. “I probably shouldn’t ask; I’m not sure about the etiquette with treasure hunters. Do you not already possess a map? One with a dotted line and a very convenientXon it?”

“I wish it were that easy! No, I haven’t come across any ancient pirate maps.” Pytheah rubbed her chin. “Not yet, anyway. But I just arrived in Jamal; I should think it would be obvious what treasure I’m after.”

“Not obvious to me—I’m not from around here.”

“Oh, right. We are in an inn. I can be so daft sometimes.”Pytheah grinned. “I’m looking for the Ayred Stash. It’s hidden somewhere in the Golden Cascades.”

“The Ayred Stash?” The Golden Cascades? Lore saw Finn and Hazen perk up from where they were both slouched in their seats.

Pytheah’s eyes widened. “You really aren’t from around here.” She began nodding with excitement. “It’s a prominent legend in these parts. One hundred years ago, Ayred De Luatha buried his entire treasury somewhere in the Golden Cascades. No one has ever found it. And those who go looking don’t usually come back whole—if they come back at all.”