“You seem sad, Princess,” Cam observed.
I ran my fingers over the purple fabric in my hands. “Not sad, just confused, I guess. About everything. My life is back in Jersey, but this place is so beautiful…”
The twins swooped around in front of me, and I pulled up short before I crashed into them. Ram cocked his head to the side. “Would it truly be so bad to stay here?”
“Maybe not, but the problem is that I can’t just abandon my sister and I can’t bring her here either. So you see? Conflicted.” I moved past them and continued down the road.
As we approached the next curve, Cam held an arm out. “You should put the shroud on now. We approach the entrance to Civi Adasa.”
I settled the stifling fabric back over my head as we rounded the final bend. Even with the shroud obscuring my vision, I could see the impressive walls of the city and the massive double wooden doors with guards on each side. They must have recognized the twins because they promptly pulled the doors open as we approached.
Passing through the gate, I held up a hand to block the suns. Now that I could finally get eyes on the city up close, I realized what I had been unable to see from the parapet. Civi Adasa was not your average city.
Civi Adasa was magnificent.
Chapter seventeen
I stalled just beyond the entrance, letting the beauty of the glittering city wash over me. Homes of varying degrees of opulence spread out across the left side of the road, some smaller with thatched roofs while others were practically mansions. They all held one thing in common though, an insignia carved into their white stone walls that glistened brilliantly in the sun. No doubt made of diamonds, they varied in size and intricacy, yet every house had their own, like a family crest. The largest homes sat at the top of the hill, nearest the castle, while the smaller ones spilled down the left side of the mountain interspersed with sculpted trees and the occasional green space. Every yard was neatly manicured, every house was maintained in perfect condition, and every street was impossibly clean.
Businesses took up the right side of the road, and while the neighborhoods to the left were calm with only a few people moving about, the other side of the city was a bustling hive of commerce with restaurants, shops, and vendors pushing aroundsmall carts loaded with wares and trinkets. A wave of delicious smells hit me, and my stomach quickly reminded me that I hadn’t finished my breakfast.
I turned to the twins and saw them watching me, amused grins on their faces. I almost felt bad for them having to wait on me as I took it all in. They grew up here in this incredible place and were used to it, but to compare it to the cities in my world… It was overwhelming how beautiful it all was. No homeless people sleeping in the streets or begging for change. No stray dogs peeing on the sides of buildings. No trash littering the sidewalks. It was all so… perfect.
The twins stuck close to my side as I moved deeper into the city, peering into all the shop windows that we passed. As promised, nearly everyone gave us a wide berth, a few of them whispering solemn words in Rivellan as they made room for me. I felt a twinge of guilt that I was using such a revered garment to go shopping, but that didn't stop my eager exploration.
There were shops selling exquisite jewelry along with gems so enormous they were almost comical. Another store displayed fine clothing that appeared to hover in the windows, shifting gently to show off each angle of the fashionable dress. We passed by a home furnishings store, and I jerked to a halt when I saw a male crafting a chair with what could only be magic, the wood twisting and bending to his will as he moved his hands over it in smooth motions. I might have watched him all day if I hadn’t sensed the twins getting restless behind me. I kept forgetting that magic was old hat to them.
We moved on to another shop selling the oddest collection of items that looked like they belonged in both a hardware store and a high-end clothier. “What is all this?” I asked Ram as he came up beside me at the window.
“It is an elemental support shop,” he replied snidely. “It sells devices that assist various elemental casters who are not verystrong. That, for instance,” he said pointing to a thick metal cuff, “is used by igniservians. When the small button is pushed, it generates a spark that combines with an accelerant to produce a spit of fire. Only weak casters need that kind of help.”
“And you don’t need anything like that?”
He put his hand to his chest and gave me a look of mock indignation. “Princess, you wound me. I am the strongest igniservian in Rivella. I can pull fire down from the sun if needed.”
“Wow,” I said, legitimately impressed. I cast a sideways look at Cam who just shook his head.
Leaving the shop, I caught a whiff of something delicious and followed the intoxicating scent to a food cart selling a tried and true classic—meat on a stick. I gave the twins my best pleading look. “I don’t have any money, but is there any chance you would buy me one? I’m starving.”
“It would be my pleasure,” Cam said, stepping forward and speaking some words in Rivellan to the vendor.
The male pulled a fresh hunk of meat out of his cart and flicked his wrist causing small flames to sear it for a second so that it was nice and toasty when he handed it over to Cam.
Without thinking, I reached up to take it from him. In the process of lifting my arm, the shroud slid back just enough to expose my bare skin.
The vendor's eyes locked on my arm, his pupils growing wide as he registered my lack of tattoos. Gasping in horror, he shouted, “Abicario!”
I pulled my arm back, dropping the meat stick as I tugged the fabric over my body, but it was too late. Someone behind me yanked the shroud from my head, and my blank skin was exposed for all to see.
People around us backed away hastily, and I heard more shouts in Rivellan—some angry, some scared—but the onlywords I understood were 'Shen’Valla' and 'abicario.' Someone spat on me while another female stepped forward, waved the shroud in the air, and shouted loudly to the crowd growing larger around us.
“Princess, we need to go now,” Cam hissed in my ear, pulling me away from the vendor.
Not expecting his sharp tug, I lost my balance and fell backward, twisting midair so I took the landing hard on my hands and knees. Before Cam could help me up, someone rushed forward and kicked me in the gut. I cried out as the impact caused me to crumple, my head striking the hard stone and briefly blurring my vision.
I struggled to get back on my feet, but a throng of bodies rushed us, shoving Cam and Ram behind them. I took another blow to the stomach and one to the face. Pain shot through me as I spat a mouthful of blood onto the stone. My vision started to fade, and I fought to remain conscious, drawing my arms up to fend off the worst of the attacks to my face. I curled myself into a ball on the hard stone, crying out each time a particular strong kick hit my kidneys or neck.
Suddenly a huge blast threw the crowd off me, tossing them against a nearby building. I lifted my head weakly, and blood streaked down my face. One of my eyes was swollen shut, but through the other I could make out Cam standing in the middle of the street with his arms raised, his face twisted in fury.
