7. Sybilla
Chapter 7
Sybilla
S till reeling from seeing the city for the first time, I gave the mule enough slack in the reins to navigate down the rocky trail.
We weaved through smaller towns built into the canyon side. People stood on stone porches and waved rust-colored fabric to greet us. They kissed two fingers and held them out to the soldiers and their King as we passed.
“Return the gesture,” Krait instructed before he placed the pads of his pointer and middle fingers to his lips and extended them out to each family. I held the reins in one hand and mimicked his movement.
“Is it a sign of respect?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I found myself thankful that the mule seemed to know the route well because my head snapped from one side to the other as I looked at the surroundings, too entranced to steer effectively.
It was far more vivid than I’d imagined. We rode through rural areas with quaint rounded clay structures. As we neared the heart of Sahlmsara, colorful tiles of turquoise, burgundy and orange adorned doorways and windows. Intricate lines of tiles stretched across the full face of some of the larger buildings.
And the size of the city. If it weren’t hidden in this canyon, you might have been able to see it from the Plateau at the north border of Henosis.
As we traveled toward the city’s center, the buildings grew denser. The skyline of towering buildings was only interrupted by canals that ran parallel to each other, with bridges to allow crossing. Stucco balconies lined most of the multistory buildings. In the street gutters, a surprising mix of spiked vegetation grew, adding green and blue hues to the bustling streets. People stared as we passed, but I was too consumed with the breathtaking beauty of the city to fully pay attention.
Until their thoughts began to seep in.
“Our King has returned...”
“This must mean news is coming about the Henosis border...”
“Who rides with him?”
I shut down my senses—a habit of self-preservation. It wasn’t always pleasant to hear first impressions of yourself.
“Stay with her,” Darvanda said to Elsedora before he trotted up to lead the soldiers. She clucked to her horse and glanced over at me.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” she asked as she extended her fingers to a little girl who waved with a smile.
I nodded, unsure how to articulate exactly how splendid it was. The red rocks of the canyon walls complemented the city—making every color pop that much more. “It looks very prosperous here,” I managed to say.
“What did you think it would be? A pile of rocks?”
“I honestly didn’t know,” I answered. “I expected more...doom and gloom?”
Elsedora snorted. “Oh, because of him?” She held her reins in one hand and waved toward the front of the procession. “Most people here have made a comfortable life for themselves.”
“If that’s so, why did so many leave to attack Henosis?” There was still resentment against Henosis in this realm—my city lay in ruins as proof.
“There is another city, just beyond the Vallic Mountains.” Elsedora pointed straight ahead. “It is called Sahlmkar. It’s where those who continued the attack on Phynx civilians were relegated when we traveled here. Most are still imprisoned. It’s less fertile ground and has harder living conditions—a punishment for disobeying their King’s orders. We suspect that is where Firose was able to rally recent support. The people there still worship the Death Origin, Caym.”
My throat constricted. Darvanda had punished those who’d invaded my ancestors’ city. He’d said the first day we’d met that the attack had only been meant to be a siege of power, that once white flags had flown, it hadn’t been his command to continue the attack. This supported his claim, yet I still held doubts.
I didn’t get time to ponder that more before a towering building with arched dormers, a large bell tower and many arcaded windows came into view. Colored tile encrusted every arch and numerous balconies that looked out over the main canal.
“That’s Umber House. You’ll be staying with us there.”
I gripped the reins tight. It was by no means as large as the Palace of Luz, but Umber House seemed too enchanting of a place for such a surly, brooding King to reside.
“Do many live there?”
“Krait only has two officers, me included. The few lords here in the city hold their own residences and a few from rural regions visit every so often. The political structure is much flatter than in Henosis. Fewer laws and regulations—really the only laws surround stealing, violence and Death-wielding.”
“So Death-wielding is outlawed?”
Remembering that awful smell of the amber smoke that the attackers had used against my city knotted my throat and made the hairs of my arms rise.
“Mhm, it is the worst offense someone can commit. Death only aids Death—it’s thought when enough is harvested, it can bring forth the Death Origin for a reckoning. At least, that is the belief in Sahlmkar.”
I sucked in my cheeks as I let that sink in. In Henosis, the Source Origins were thought to be non-sentient ideals rooted in superstition. Yet I knew what I’d seen that night in the bailey challenged that belief. Amara had summoned an Origin, right there within my palace walls.
The sun was beginning to set behind the mountains, casting a bronze glow over the city that mingled beautifully with the hues of the tiles and painted stucco. Around Umber House there were no parapets, no protection walls, no guards at the gates—no gates at all. The large front entrance featured an enormous arched wooden door that opened right into a large courtyard, where a market was setting up for the evening. High above the courtyard was a bell tower, which sat as a focal point at the center of the house.
The soldiers continued around the estate, and Krait peeled off and dismounted by the front door. He handed his reins to a groom, who then followed the soldiers—I assumed to a stable somewhere beyond the estate.
We approached the door, and Elsedora did the same; she handed off her reins with a polite thank you to a second groom. I dismounted, and a boy, no more than nine, approached with an outstretched hand to take the mule. “Thank you...your name?”
The boy turned a shade of crimson. “My...I’m sorry, miss?”
“Your name?”
“Oh, um...Hurley,” he lisped through a missing front tooth.
I could feel the heat of the boy’s embarrassment creep up my neck. His thoughts were scattered and nervous. “She must be the Queen from Henosis.”
I supposed, like in any kingdom, news traveled fast here.
“Thank you, Hurley.”
Krait stepped beside us. “Carry on, boy,” he barked. “Get some help to get her things up to her bedchamber.”
“Please,” I added too brightly before I shot Krait a glare. The boy took the reins, nodded and walked away with my mule. “Iron fist over pleasantries, I see. He was, what, barely ten years old?”
“How far did pleasantries get you in Luz? And all children go to school here. Can you say the same? How their parents choose to let them spend their excess time is not mine to dictate.”
I rolled my eyes. “You don’t know any of their names though, do you?” I retorted.
He shrugged. “I pay well. That boy will have a small fund for his future after he’s done with school.”
Prick.
“Plus, you should be careful not to get too close to anyone here. I can’t be around at all hours to keep you from harm’s way.”
“Am I at risk of being harmed?” I asked.
He shrugged again. “Probably.”
I felt the tickle of Elsedora’s amusement.
“Let me show my new friend the city.” Elsedora rested an elbow on my shoulder. “Please, please, please—”
I couldn’t fight the pang of excitement in my gut at the idea of venturing out into this newfound oasis.
“Elsedora…” Krait sighed her name while pinching the bridge of his nose. It seemed this wasn’t the first time he’d disagreed with her whims. I wasn’t about to get in the middle of it, having not yet figured out their dynamic.
“What? Don’t ‘Elsedora’ me. Not many know her face yet or that she’s even here…There will be little chance for her to see it once they do. And she will be with me .”
“That’s entirely what worries me,” he argued.
“Just this once. Please, please, please—”
“No gaming houses,” he warned.
The redhead’s face lit up like he’d just made her day.
“Or pleasure halls or pubs.”
Elsedora smirked. “What do you think of me?”
“I know you better than most,” he said.
His skepticism didn’t dull Elsedora’s enthusiasm, which grew contagious.
“Go get cleaned up.” She bounced around me and twisted a finger into one of my curls. “I’m going to have fun doing something with these.”
I smirked. No matter how much my body ached, or how much I longed for a bath and a bed, I didn’t think I could refuse her if I tried. Then she skipped toward the entry of Umber House.
“There are underground baths—I’ll assign someone to show you around,” Krait said. “Unless you’d rather explore my city smelling like a mule.”
“It’s a rather fine deterrent,” I answered, though a bath after our long trip sounded divine. Not even my desire to be contrary to him would prevent me from taking him up on that offer.
I felt slighted that he wouldn’t even be showing me his house or city himself though.
The sight of the main hall of Umber House took my breath away as we stepped inside. The way the dark wood domed above us made the space look larger than it had from the outside. Above us, tapestries depicting the Vallic Mountains hung between the beams and stretched up to the ceilings. The mountains were woven in silk of deep hues of red, brown and gold. The air was noticeably cooler, like an ever-present breeze fended off some of the stifling heat.
My mouth hung open, and I tripped over something while admiring the tapestries.
A broom?
The stick righted itself and continued sweeping into a dustpan. “Oh, sorry…” I glanced around, and a maid giggled from the corner.
“It is charmed, my lady.”
I stepped out of the broom’s way. “Marvelous!” The maid was tall and lanky with straight brown hair, looking to be in her early twenties. “What’s your name?”
“Maddi,” she said and bowed.
“I am Sybilla,” I answered while spinning on my heel to get a better look at the way the candles and sconces seemed to hang and float on nothing but air.
“Oh! You are the Central Queen—”
I waved my hand to dispel her alarm. “If the estate is charmed to clean, what are your duties?”
“Well, I charmed the broom.” Her eyes went wide as saucers. “If the magic offends you, I can stop it.”
So Source magic was as common here as I’d imagined. The possibilities of such efficiency swirled through my mind. Farming, trade work, all of it aided by magic.
I shook my head and smiled. “I was merely curious. You like working here?”
The girl’s shoulders relaxed, and she nodded. “Very much. King Darvanda keeps a full staff during the day, and it is much less dull than working in textiles like my mother did.”
I noticed movement on the steps. A man with long silver hair greeted Krait, who had, unsurprisingly, walked away from me as soon as we’d arrived.
“Nice to meet you, Maddi—I’ll watch out for the brooms next time.” Offering her a smile, I approached the steps where Darvanda and the mystery man were discussing something in hushed tones.