A warm wind blew across the airfield, clouds drifting along overhead. Soren kept them pressed to the railing of the dock inside the hangar, waiting for his velocycle to be offloaded. Raiah stood quietly beside him, watching everything around her with wide eyes behind her goggles, clutching Soren’s hand with her own small one.
With her face and hair hidden and Soren very clearly a warden, no one paid them much attention. Karnak was the closest city to the Celestine Lake, where the Warden’s Island was located, but it wasn’t an easy route to take. No direct railroads linked the lake to Solaria’s most northern city. Solaria typically delivered tithes via airship.
But Karnak was used to wardens traveling through its city walls. Soren’s presence wasn’t remarked upon as they left the airfield behind for the city gates. His status as a warden got them waved through with no issue.
He’d been to Karnak plenty of times over the years when driving through Solaria to his assigned borders. He knew where every warden resupply station was within the half dozen inner-city walls, and Soren made certain to never get within half a mile of each one on his way to the rich neighborhood thevezirof the House of Vikandir called home.
The estate in question was located behind the innermost city wall in Karnak. Soren slowed his velocycle to a halt in front of the main drive, staring through the wrought iron gate at the grandly pillared estate beyond, subtle mosaics lining the arches of the doors and windows in golden tile. His view was abruptly obscured by the pair of legionnaires who placed themselves between him and his objective.
“What calls you here, warden?” the legionnaire on the left said, her hand resting lightly on her pistol.
“I want to speak to thevezir,” Soren said.
“This is no border but a House, warden. Add your name to the list of citizens requesting an audience. Thevezir’s majordomo controls the schedule, and you are not above anyone else here.”
Soren slipped two fingers beneath the leather waistcoat he wore, pulling free the Imperial writ Vanya had given him in Oeiras. He unfolded it and held it out for the two legionnaires to read, watching as they both went rigid where they stood. “You’ll find that I am.”
They both came to attention and snapped off a salute before bowing—not to Soren, he knew, but to the voice of their emperor he represented. “We will escort you to the House of Vikandir.”
Soren carefully folded up the Imperial writ and put it away in his pocket for easier reach. “Undo your uniforms first. I’d like to ensure neither of you is compromised.”
The confusion in their expressions did not disappear, but they obeyed the order without argument. Such was the power of an Imperial writ, Soren presumed. Their uniforms were unbuttoned to show off unmarked skin on their chests. Soren forestalled them from stripping any further, satisfied they weren’trionetkas.
The pair did up their uniforms before the taller legionnaire opened one side of the gate. Soren guided the velocycle off the street and onto the drive, the engine a dull thrum in the air. The gate clanged shut behind them, and a legionnaire jogged up the drive alongside Soren, the ends of hiseffiyehfluttering behind him. Soren drove at a slow enough pace to enable the man to keep up. They passed through a tunnel built into the front of the estate and appeared inside a forecourt. It lacked any plants and flowers but had an abundance of motor carriages parked alongside the wall.
Soren steered his velocycle to an unused section of the wall, kicking the stand down and turning off the engine. He got off the velocycle and undid the straps securing Raiah in her ride-along seat.
“Are we going to see Papa?” she asked.
“Your Papa isn’t here,” Soren said, lifting her into his arms.
The legionnaire eyed them both with a sharp, knowing look in his eyes, gaze lingering on Raiah. Soren didn’t remove her helmet or her goggles, hoping to keep her identity a secret just a little longer.
A servant stepped outside of the nearby entrance, her gown a dusky green and made of a lightweight fabric in deference to the heat. It swirled around her ankles as she came to meet them. Before she even made it over to them, Soren had the Imperial writ out and ready for her perusal.
She stared at the piece of paper in Soren’s hand that granted him all manner of things worthy of an emperor for a long moment before her wide-eyed gaze flicked up to meet his. “Come with me. I will take you to meet with the House of Vikandir’s majordomo.”
“All right.” Soren nodded at the servant. “Please don’t think me rude, but if you would pull down the neckline of your gown enough for me to see your collarbones, I’d appreciate it.”
The absolutely scandalous and affronted expression on her face wasn’t enough to make Soren back down. After a brief, tense moment, the servant angrily tugged at the neckline of her gown, revealing unmarked skin. Soren nodded his approval, and the servant huffed her opinion on his request.
The legionnaire took up guard duty at the door while Soren followed the servant inside. He was taken through the halls of a working estate that reminded him of the Imperial palace in its business and wealth, though the decorations tilted in a different artistic direction.
The sand-tiled floors were a match for the pale walls and the mosaics they passed, many of which drew inspiration from the coastal hills and mountains in the east. The House of Vikandir’s personal sigil held prominent placements in many of the artistic designs. Soren couldn’t help but look for the Sa’Liandel lion head and kept coming up short.
Eventually, they were led into a comfortable-looking office packed with folios and other items of bureaucratic necessities. A majordomo, as he’d come to learn through his interactions with Alida, ran the equivalent of a business when it came to running a House’s personal household.
A mechanical fan stood in one corner, the hum of its blades as they spun easily ignored. The servant gestured for them to take a seat on the chaise pushed up against the open window before taking her leave. Soren set Raiah down and let her scramble onto the chaise and peer out at the courtyard below.
Soren kept half his attention on Raiah and the rest on the door. The next time it was opened, a tall, graying blond-haired man entered, his robes impeccably embroidered. Blue eyes met Soren’s, and the man bowed deeply.
“I am Evander. I have the pleasure of carrying the title of majordomo to the House of Vikandir’s personal household. I understand you speak with the emperor’s voice?” Evander said.
Soren wordlessly handed over the Imperial writ for perusal. “I need an audience with thevezir.”
Evander’s expression didn’t change as he handed back the writ. “Apologies, butvezirAmir Vikandir is not in residence. He is presently in Calhames attending to House duties for the emperor. Lady Malia Vikandir is available to meet with you in his stead.”
“Fine. Take us to her.”
