Dark Weaver (Weaver Series) by Dena Nicotra Read Free Book Online Page A

but this wasn’t what I’d envisioned. I guess my only comparison was airport security and this wasn’t anything like that. Although I could open my eyes, I found that I could not move my feet.  There was a dull, buzzing sound in the air that reminded me of honey bees.  I held very still and tried to remember to breathe until a woman’s voice filled the air around us.  “Welcome home Prince Kalan, you are free to enter Era.”  Kalan gave a slight nod of his head, but did not move from the block or release my hands.  After the space of several moments, the female voice addressed me, “Welcome master weaver Joey, you are free to enter Era.”  I mimicked what I assumed was the appropriate nod of my head, and then the block descended into the metallic platform leaving us with a set of stairs to climb.  Kalan still had my hand as we made our way up.
    The moment we reached the top, a very ornery looking man appeared before us.  His long black hair hung to his shoulders beneath a top hat, and his clothing made him seem that much more formidable.  I mean, who wears a tailcoat and cravat nowadays?  He greeted us with a peevish smile that reminded me of those hoity-toity people from the country club back home.  I smiled my brightest smile and curtsied, “Torvin, your grace, thank you for seeing us.” I swear, his nose scrunched up as if he got a snoot full of rotten eggs as he gave me the once-over.  Then I remembered Kalan’s training and cast my eyes down demurely until he spoke.
    “My schedule is never too busy for the Prince Miss Akers, but make no mistake – your time here is not your own.”  I’ve agreed to your presence here only because of your affiliation with Prince Kalan, who’s family honor extends extensively beyond…that of your own.  This way please.” So much for that ‘high level of respect’ for being a master weaver malarkey. I opened my mouth in rebuttal, but then clamped my lips shut to avoid embarrassing Kalan or ruining my chances for help here. He turned his back and used his fancy cane to tap his way down the long corridor.  I turned to Kalan and rolled my eyes dramatically before communicating to him mentally, What a pompous ass .  Kalan just gave me a tight smile and blinked several times.  In other words, suck it up buttercup.  I knew I would need to hold my tongue with this one. 
    As we hurried after him, I marveled at the peculiarity of Era.  Time here was a mish-mash of periods .  The corridor we travelled down was sterile white with harsh lighting overhead, and almost reminded me of a hospital floor.  Once he opened a door for us to follow him through, the setting changed to what I could only describe as a Great Hall in a medieval castle.  The floors were covered with scattered rugs that appeared to be woven from straw, and the stone walls were adorned only by black iron sconces that held lit torches.  The firelight cast eerie shadows against the low, arched ceiling and it made me think of knights in shining armor, and ladies in waiting. It felt cold here, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around myself.  The outfit I’d chosen seemed grossly inappropriate now and I debated conjuring up a nice medieval gown.  Since I didn’t know if that would be tacky, I let that idea go.  One wouldn’t want to make a fool of oneself straight away.
    The tap-tapping of Torvin’s cane echoed in the dimness as he continued to lead us and I doubled my pace to keep up.  I dared to glance up at Kalan, but his eyes did not meet mine.  His jaw was tense and an uneasy feeling began to build a pit in my stomach. We rounded a corner and entered a much warmer breezeway, just as a train thundered above us.  I looked up and marveled at the massive tracks, the color of copper, and the long plume of dark smoke that funneled up and then hovered along the tops of the cars like a shadowy ghost rider.  Out in the open, I took in the panoramic view of Era for the first time. It was