A Dream of Mortals (Book #15 in the Sorcerer's Ring) by Morgan Rice Page A

shame. It didn’t seem possible.
    Gwen was even more surprised to see so many sailboats
in the water, close to the far shore, so many people living an idle life of
leisure, of joy, sailing in harmony and security. Life in the Ring had been
bountiful, yet always on guard, hardened by combat, by threats; here, there
appeared to be no threats. It discombobulated her to see such freedom in the midst
of a hostile Empire, and such bounty in the midst of a cruel, lifeless desert. Gwen
could tell at a glance that this society, whatever it was, was clearly rich,
clearly well-established, safe and secure behind the ridge which framed it,
stretching in a massive circle around it, on the horizon, in much the same way
the Canyon had framed the Ring. And yet this land, with all its bounty, put
even the Ring to shame.
    Gwendolyn wanted desperately to talk, to know
more. So many questions raced through her mind. She reached out and grabbed the
arm of a knight passing by, and he kneeled turned and looked at her. She tried
to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out; she became exhausted from the
effort.
    “Rest now,” he said gently. “You need it.”
    He left, and Gwen tried to look out, to see
more; yet the calm water breezes, heavy with moisture, lulled her to sleep,
made her feel relaxed, utterly at ease, for the first time in she did not know
how long, and despite her efforts, in no time she was fast asleep.
    *
    Gwendolyn slowly opened her eyes, squinting at
the brightness, sat up, and could hardly believe what she saw. It at first
appeared to be an illusion. She looked up at two immense golden statues, each a
hundred feet high, arms raised high in an odd salute and crossed with each
other. One was a statue of a knight, torso muscular, exposed, and the other was
of a woman, smaller, but equally muscular. They each held out swords, and as
Gwen looked down, she saw that beneath them was a huge arch, through which the
water ran between their legs, heralding the entrance to the land and flowing
into a massive harbor. Light reflected off of them and shined down onto
everything, making the harbor’s waters shimmer as if they were alive.
    As their boat passed through Gwen sat up
straighter, taking in her surroundings, rapt with attention. She had expected
to find a quiet, forested lonely place and she was amazed to find them entering
a sophisticated, bustling city harbor, filled with tall ships, with all sorts
of masts and sails, its shores lined with storefronts, houses, streets of a
smooth, well-worn cobblestone and bustling with horses, carriages, and people.
The facades all looked well-established, and it was clear at a glance that this
society had been here for centuries. Traffic crisscrossed the harbor in every
direction, and the place oozed wealth and luxury. She wondered if all this
could be real.
    The others, too, began to rouse as they soon touched
down at a dock, coming to a gentle stop; they had barely docked when the knights
accompanying them hurried to help each one, taking Gwen’s arms, helping her up
and toward the pier. It was the first time Gwen had walked since the ordeal,
and it felt good to be on her feet again, though a bit unsteady. She needed the
help as she took her first steps. She felt a rubbing at her leg and was
reassured to look down and see that Krohn was still there, beside her.
    Gwen was elated to see Kendrick, Steffen, and
all the others walking, too, and as she reached the pier, Kendrick and Steffen
each took an arm and helped her up onto dry land. They each looked as if they’d
been through an ordeal, much more gaunt than they had been, and yet they each
smiled back warmly; she could tell they were, as was she, relieved to have a
second chance at life.
    The knights led them all down the pier and
toward a gleaming golden open-air carriage, large enough to hold them all. She
let the others pass first, and she watched with relief as she saw all of her
people—Illepra and the baby, Stara, Kendrick,