The Eyes of a Doll (The World of Shijuren Book 2) by Rob Howell Read Free Book Online Page B

shut up,” growled Kapric.
    “See what I mean?” I grinned at Marjana.
    “Oh, hush. He’s a good boy.”
    Laughing, I waved to Karah and we sat down. Karah brought over mugs and more ale.
    “What brings you and your good boy here?”
    “ Well, if it isn't Sebastijan's largest asshole."'s 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 He thinks I can help.”
    I raised my eyebrow at Kapric and he shrugged.
    “She does voices better than anyone I know, and she’s won’t scare the girl.”
    “Voices? Like accents?”
    “It is that I am able to speak in such ways, as the one here says,” Marjana said in a stilted yet flowing accent I had never heard.
    “And you want her to talk to Honker’s daughter.”
    They nodded.
    “So let’s finish these and go visit them.”
    We left the Faerie and wound around back up the Fifth Serpent. At its end, near Harald’s house, a variety of neighbors were working on their projects in the street, each glancing suspiciously at every person coming up the street. They relaxed as they saw us.
    Honker’s door stood open, and I stiffened in worry until I saw Sebastijan’s largest retainer at the door.
    “Well, if it isn’t the sheep’s dick.”
    I looked up at him. “Well, if it isn’t Sebastijan’s largest asshole.”
    He laughed as he looked down at me.
    “What is your name, anyway?”
    “Radovan.”
    “Well, Radovan, my name is Edward. Apparently Sebastijan did not pass on my message to you. I told him that if you call me a sheep’s dick again, I’ll throw you into the lake.”
    “Oh, he passed that message on. I just wanted to see if you were serious.”
    “He’s serious enough,” groused Kapric. “And we don’t have any time for this.”
    Radovan laughed, but Kapric overrode him. “We need to speak to Ludmilja. Are she and her mother around?”
    He nodded and waved us in. Arrogant though he might be, Radovan remained attentive to the street. I could wait to toss him into Lake Achrida until I no longer needed him.
    Ludmilja’s mother looked down the hall with a worried expression that cleared just a touch when she saw us.
    I tried to calm her. “I’m sorry, mistress, in the bustle yesterday, I did not ask your name.”
    She looked down shyly. “No need for that.”
    “Of course there is. We can’t simply call you Honker’s lass.”
    She wrung her hands but finally said, “I am Soraya.”
    “That’s an odd name for someone around here,” soothed Zvono.
    “My baka worked for a great lady from the east. She was always kind to my mother as a lass. It means the Seven Sisters, or at least that’s what Mother told me.”
    “The constellation?”
    Soraya nodded, looking at the floor.
    I chuckled. “It’s a very pretty name, good mistress, and frankly all of the names around here seem odd to me.”
    She looked up briefly and almost smiled before looking down again.
    “We’re here to speak with Ludmilja again.”
    “And Nadja,” Zvono added without any trace of a smile.
    “But surely she’s told you everything!”
    In her fear Soraya looked ready to panic, but Marjana stepped forward.
    “Worry not, my dear. I just want to play a game with her.”
    Even Soraya could not resist Marjana’s cheerfulness and she finally smiled slightly.
    “As you wish, milady.”
    We followed her into the large kitchen where Ludmilja kneaded bread dough at a large table. She looked up nervously as we entered.
    Zvono went over to her.
    “Good day, Ludmilja. Do you and Nadja have time to play?”
    She looked at her mother with her mouth wide open.
    Soraya nodded. “Go get Nadja, dear. I’ll finish kneading the dough.”
    Ludmilja ran out the door and almost immediately ran right back clutching Nadja. I motioned to Kapric, and we stepped back to let Zvono and Marjana handle this.
    “Ludmilja, this is Marjana. She wants to play too.”
    Ludmilja nodded shyly.
    “We have a special game to play, Ludmilja,” Marjana said as she stroked the