city. The dirt path soon became a paved
road – Caeles told Rowan it was called “tarmac” – which was hard
and flat under their feet. The river turned sharply away, but they
had no need to follow it any further; the great gates of the city
were just visible in the darkness, at the end of the long black
road.
A man on horseback trotted past them, coming in from an
adjoining path. He gave a curt look, and then kicked his spurs.
With a quiet “ kheia ! ” whispered to his mount, the shape
vanished between the two open gates, which closed behind
him.
Clouds hung
overhead, threatening more snow.
The gates were twelve feet high and made of a thick wood that
Gabel couldn’t identify. They were rough and splintered, especially
around the huge brass hinges that fastened them to the concrete
pillars of the city walls. Gabel knocked twice, and they heard the
creak of strained bowstrings above them.
‘ State your business!’ called a man’s voice.
‘ We wish to cross the Lual in the morning, and find a place to
stay in the meantime.’ The magus had pushed in front of Gabel and
was calling up to the archers, who looked down their long arrows at
them.
A few private
words were spoken down a line to somewhere behind the gates. One
side opened and a largish man with fingerless gloves let them
through. He didn’t seem threatening.
‘ Come inside,’ he said amiably. ‘The inn is on your third
right.’
They thanked
him and found their way to the inn, one of the tallest buildings in
the city with its three storeys. After booking two rooms, Gabel and
Caeles stood by the door and talked quietly.
‘ Beware of the Squad that patrols the city during the night,’
said the hunter. ‘The captain is especially dangerous.’
‘ I understand. They were around last time I was here. Are you
coming with me?’
‘ Do you need me to hold your hand, cyborg?’ Gabel mocked in a
hushed voice.
‘ Fine, I can manage.’ He half-opened the door. ‘Just keep an
eye out for trouble.’
‘ Of course. We’ll wait for you in the rooms. Don’t worry. But
aren’t you going to eat something first? In fact, it may be better
to wait until morning.’
‘ I’ll check the boat timetable. If we can wait another day,
then I’ll delay until the morning to see the Mayor. If not … Well,
you’ll hear news either way.’
He smiled and
clapped the factotum on the back, then pulled his coat around his
neck and vanished down the dark, unfriendly street.
~
There were a few streetlights, but they were unevenly widely
spread, their decaying electrics poorly maintained. There were
proper roads here, and the buildings were made of stone instead of
wood or repurposed rubble. The whole place reminded Caeles of what
cities were like before the Conflict. He had an image of a mighty
steel-glass building that stood tall and proud, and God knows how
many storeys high.
But not here. These structures were shabby and in disrepair.
Some looked all right, but Caeles preferred the house he had been
living in the previous few years. Pirene was a much quieter town.
And safer.
He had no intention of waiting until morning to confront the
Regent. The man was old, yes, and frail, but he would want to know
immediately if his old enemy had walked through his gates. Caeles
was realising why the Magus had wrenched him out of his
seclusion.
The city hall was wide, dome-topped and built of large white
bricks. The doors were protected by two men with halberds; a few
metres ahead of them stood two more guards, holding spears. Another
man with impressive physique and admirable armour stood by a low
wall, checking the horizon to the south, where large tree-topped
hills rolled under the oppressive night sky. They looked remarkably
‘old world’ against such a modern backdrop, but working pistols and
other firearms were hard to come by, and people skilled enough to
look after such things even rarer.
He noticed a man walking toward him and waited for him to
arrive,
road – Caeles told Rowan it was called “tarmac” – which was hard
and flat under their feet. The river turned sharply away, but they
had no need to follow it any further; the great gates of the city
were just visible in the darkness, at the end of the long black
road.
A man on horseback trotted past them, coming in from an
adjoining path. He gave a curt look, and then kicked his spurs.
With a quiet “ kheia ! ” whispered to his mount, the shape
vanished between the two open gates, which closed behind
him.
Clouds hung
overhead, threatening more snow.
The gates were twelve feet high and made of a thick wood that
Gabel couldn’t identify. They were rough and splintered, especially
around the huge brass hinges that fastened them to the concrete
pillars of the city walls. Gabel knocked twice, and they heard the
creak of strained bowstrings above them.
‘ State your business!’ called a man’s voice.
‘ We wish to cross the Lual in the morning, and find a place to
stay in the meantime.’ The magus had pushed in front of Gabel and
was calling up to the archers, who looked down their long arrows at
them.
A few private
words were spoken down a line to somewhere behind the gates. One
side opened and a largish man with fingerless gloves let them
through. He didn’t seem threatening.
‘ Come inside,’ he said amiably. ‘The inn is on your third
right.’
They thanked
him and found their way to the inn, one of the tallest buildings in
the city with its three storeys. After booking two rooms, Gabel and
Caeles stood by the door and talked quietly.
‘ Beware of the Squad that patrols the city during the night,’
said the hunter. ‘The captain is especially dangerous.’
‘ I understand. They were around last time I was here. Are you
coming with me?’
‘ Do you need me to hold your hand, cyborg?’ Gabel mocked in a
hushed voice.
‘ Fine, I can manage.’ He half-opened the door. ‘Just keep an
eye out for trouble.’
‘ Of course. We’ll wait for you in the rooms. Don’t worry. But
aren’t you going to eat something first? In fact, it may be better
to wait until morning.’
‘ I’ll check the boat timetable. If we can wait another day,
then I’ll delay until the morning to see the Mayor. If not … Well,
you’ll hear news either way.’
He smiled and
clapped the factotum on the back, then pulled his coat around his
neck and vanished down the dark, unfriendly street.
~
There were a few streetlights, but they were unevenly widely
spread, their decaying electrics poorly maintained. There were
proper roads here, and the buildings were made of stone instead of
wood or repurposed rubble. The whole place reminded Caeles of what
cities were like before the Conflict. He had an image of a mighty
steel-glass building that stood tall and proud, and God knows how
many storeys high.
But not here. These structures were shabby and in disrepair.
Some looked all right, but Caeles preferred the house he had been
living in the previous few years. Pirene was a much quieter town.
And safer.
He had no intention of waiting until morning to confront the
Regent. The man was old, yes, and frail, but he would want to know
immediately if his old enemy had walked through his gates. Caeles
was realising why the Magus had wrenched him out of his
seclusion.
The city hall was wide, dome-topped and built of large white
bricks. The doors were protected by two men with halberds; a few
metres ahead of them stood two more guards, holding spears. Another
man with impressive physique and admirable armour stood by a low
wall, checking the horizon to the south, where large tree-topped
hills rolled under the oppressive night sky. They looked remarkably
‘old world’ against such a modern backdrop, but working pistols and
other firearms were hard to come by, and people skilled enough to
look after such things even rarer.
He noticed a man walking toward him and waited for him to
arrive,
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