Kemp stared at them, equally surprised. “People who were born here, or people who were sacrificed to the Sovereigns?”
“I have no idea.” It was worth noting that none appeared to have stamps on their inner wrists.
The humans of every dominion were branded with its crest. Mine was that of Hellyne’s phoenix. The Lykaos crest boasted a wolf, since the gods who’d lived there had been able to shift into such an animal. Similarly, the primordials of Nemea had occasionally taken the form of a lion, so the animal was featured on its crest. That of Delphii had a fire salamander, representing their ancestor’s ability to call on the natural elements.
For the humans here to bear no brand, they’d either all been born at Deimos or someone had removed the marks when they came here—as if to shake off their prior loyalties to the various Archdukes.
As we continued forward, I let my gaze continue to roam. On the left of the bailey, rows of simple houses were set into grassy hills. I couldn’t tell if they’d been builtintothe hills orontothem—either way, it was a charming plateau.
A forest lay on the outskirts of it. It wasn’t creepy like the wooded area of Reaper’s Pines, though. The inviting blossoms here were the color of bright peaches.
On the far right of the bailey, a second residential quarter could be seen. The houses there were bigger and more regal. Probably for anyone with status, I thought.
At the border of the quarter was a grand tower surrounded by landscaped gardens. Beyond that was yet more uninhabited terrain—some pastureland, some forested. These were separated from the residential quarters by the river that passed through parts of the city. Bridges were here and there, enabling people to access those areas.
Straight in front of us was a walled-off section that looked a little like a grand fort. It, too, was covered in vegetation. But I could see enough of the wall to tell that, unlike the otherbuildings here, it was constructed of black stone, not white. Given that the banner hanging above the arched gate featured the Black Tapestry’s insignia, I was guessing that it was their garrison.
It also obstructed my view, so I couldn’t see what lay beyond it … other than for what was clearly the home of the Sovereigns. The large cream-and-gold fortress sat perched on a high rise far off in the distance, overlooking the entire city; boasting the subtle glow of a pearl. Tall, misty mountains could be seen either side of it.
No one could say that the Sovereigns lacked style.
Only when we neared the garrison did the wagon slow to a halt. Which was when my heart began working overtime. Voices called out, dogs let out low barks, and then the rail was removed from the rear of the wagon.
Once the Laelaps leaped out, an officiate waved for the rest of us to make our exit. One by one, we filed out of the wagon. As my feet met the ground, I almost winced at the stiffness in my knees.
The space quickly became cluttered with the large of number of Phoenixians that hopped out of the many wagons. Some humans looked ready to empty their bellies.
My throat a little dry, I fished my water pouch out of my pocket and took a long swig.
Rubbing at her butt, Aurelia sighed. “Isoneeded to get out of that wagon.”
“And itsoneeds airing out,” I said.
She snorted in amusement. “Yeah, I don’t know who was farting, but it reeks in there. Their stomach is probably playing up with nerves.”
I stumbled forward slightly as a shoulder crashed into the back of mine … and my leather pouch dropped to the ground.
Shrugging past me, Seneca grinned. “Whoops. Look at all that water spilling all over the ground and going to waste. Such a shame.”
Atticus snickered as he and their cousin Bevan moved to stand behind her, their trim builds tense; their wide-set shoulders back.
“You should really be more careful where you’re walking,” she cattily admonished, a mocking glint in the same gray eyes she shared with her brother and cousin.
Silence crashed down on us heavily as everyone went still.
Was it the first time that she’d acted like a bitch toward me? No, not even close. The only reason I could think of that she would bother to make a scene here and now was to establish herself as someone to be respected and feared among the people here.
I cocked my head. “Still holding it against me that your brother got whipped?”
Her face hardened. “You lied. He never hurt that woman. You were bitter that he rejected your advances, and so you sought payback.”
Advances? Pfft. There had been no advances. “Such a pretty story. And utterly fictional.” I flicked my pouch a look. “Pick it up.”
Seneca blinked, shocked. “What did you say?”
“Pick it up.”
An amused smile tugged at her bow-shaped mouth. “You can’t be serious.”
