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“I know.” I raked a hand through my hair, frustrated at the situation. “I caught one trying to steal my food earlier.”
Hamond gave me a pained look, and a wave of guilt rippled through me. The priest was just trying to do his job, and I was acting like an entitled brat. “I’m sorry,” I said, throwing him a bone. “This city is a very exciting place, and I got a little carried away. It won’t happen again.”
“Good,” he said gruffly. He handed me the reins. “Stay close, and let’s keep going.”
Quye gave me a sidelong look as I mounted up, but I shook my head. I remained tense and alert as we continued through the city, looking for any other signs of dragons. But though there had to be more here, I didn’t catch sight of any other golden-eyed denizens walking the streets.
Eventually, we reached the bridge spanning the river that connected the two halves of the city. Leaving our camels at a stable just outside, we crossed the bridge on foot. It was both beautiful and functional, with broad arches and tall pillars, and statues of gods and goddesses tucked into alcoves along its length. I could feel the power of the rushing river below, and for a heartbeat, I wished I could reach down and run a hand through the water, to feel the current and take in that divine strength.
As we crossed the bridge and into the temple city, the atmosphere shifted. The streets here were broader, the buildings taller, various depictions of gods and goddesses adoring their walls in the form of intricate carvings and murals.
The scent of burning incense was stronger here, mingling with the aromas of spices, herbs, and exotic foods from street vendors. Towering structures of various shapes, sizes, and colors dominated the area, each devoted to a different god or goddess. The streets seemed fairly busy with priests, acolytes, citizens, and visitors going about their day, yet a sense of peace and serenity pervaded the air that wasn’t present in the main city.
“What’s this?” I asked as we stopped outside an inn.
“You will be staying here for the evening, as well as the duration of your visit,” Hamond explained. “The High Priest has been informed of your arrival, and will call for you when he is ready to receive you. I would expect that to be tomorrow at the earliest.”
“And what about you?” I asked.
He raised an eyebrow. “I am a priest,” he said. “This inn is for non-clergy members only. I will stay in the temple housing with the other priests and acolytes.”
With that, he led us inside the inn, which was a simple, but cozy sandstone building. The lobby had a few simple chairs and tables for guests to lounge in and sip tea, with a fountain in the corner that added a soothing, bubbly sound to the space. A friendly female innkeeper awaited us behind the reception desk, and to our relief, she spoke perfect fae. Hamond left us with her, promising he would return for us in the morning, and after taking down our information, she led us to our quarters.
“Here is your room,” she said in her musical accent as she slipped a heavy brass key into the lock. She opened the wooden door to reveal a comfortable-looking room with two twin beds. The walls were painted a warm beige, the floors covered with intricately woven rugs, and the beds were made of dark wood and adorned with plush pillows and soft blankets. Gauzy white curtains covered the two windows, diffusing the warm, natural light that poured into the space, and there were also heavier curtains tied back, in case we wanted more privacy or darkness.
“Do you have any recommendations for where we might go shopping?” Quye asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She clearly hadn’t forgotten the jewelry store from earlier. “I’d love to try some of the snacks we saw at the stalls, and also get some clothing,” she added ruefully, looking down at our travel worn clothing. The high priest had given us hooded cloaks to protect us from the sun, but we really did need more suitable clothing for the weather. Not to mention, having local garments would help us blend in a bit more.
“Of course! There are several shops here on the temple grounds, as well as a few others outside the temple district that are cheaper, if you prefer.”
She gave us some recommendations, and after taking a minute to unpack our meager belongings and splash some water on our tired faces, we set out. With limited funds, we decided to try one of the cheaper bazaars the receptionist had recommended, but to our dismay, the guards refused to let us back across the bridge.
“The High Priest has ordered for you to remain on the temple grounds until he meets with you,” the guard explained when we demanded to know why. “For your safety.”
“I see,” I said, though judging by the way he stood, arms folded across his broad chest and feet planted wide as he blocked the entryway, it felt more like he was trying to protect the city from us, rather than the other way around. But then again, Hamond had warned us that Kemet-Nefer could be dangerous to foreigners, and Ihadbeen pickpocketed today. The citizens here didn’t seem nearly as in awe of us as the villagers had, so perhaps the guards really were just trying to keep us safe.
“I still don’t like it,” Quye said as we walked away from the guards. “What’s the point of visiting a new world if we can’t go out and explore?”
“To find the dragons and convince them to help us so we can save our own world?” I suggested.
Quye rolled her eyes. “Sure. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun while we’re at it.”
I sighed, worried that Quye’s capricious nature was going to get us in trouble. But then again, maybe I was being a bit of a stick in the mud. I felt guilty about having fun while my friends were still fighting back home… but was there any point in feeling guilt? After all, we were stuck here until the priest could see us. There couldn’t be any harm in finding some entertainment while we waited on him… right?
10
Einar
Exhausted from the day’s travels, I spent the night sleeping in the heart of Mount Furian, falling into a deep, dreamless slumber and waking with the dawn. As an adult dragon, I was too large to fly out of the volcano opening, so I had to climb back down the tunnel and go through the ruined temple in order to leave.
Somehow, making the journey without Adara by my side was even worse. The hollow ache of her absence echoed with each step, and the scattered remains of my culture only served to emphasize my loneliness.
Once again, I was the last dragon in Ediria. And this time, there was no enchanted slumber to take away my pain.
On my way out of the temple, I picked up a fallen sword and scabbard I found strapped to the skeleton of one of the temple guards. I felt a little guilty as I secured the weapon at my hip, but I had a hunch I was going to need it once I stepped outside.
My hunch proved correct the moment I emerged from the temple ruins. A low growl rumbled through the air, and I leaped aside just in time as a shadow creature lunged at me from behind a fallen pillar. Howls tore through the early morning air as six others peeled away from their hiding spots and raced toward me, and I roared an answering battle cry as I ripped my sword from its scabbard. Anger surged through me, driving the first swing of my weapon, and black blood sprayed everywhere as I sliced clean through the first beast, then hacked off the head of the second one.
Once, the sight of that blood would have sent me running scared in the other direction.
