It's been three months since the events of The Honouring Day, and Ignolia is still mourning the sudden disappearance of their powerful rulers.
Lydia finds herself in Ellesmere; the capital of the Congress. Her days are spent accompanying ranked wiza...
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The golden dome of the Congress's headquarter was the first thing anyone could spot upon arriving in Ellesmere. With the many scouting missions, I thought I would get used to seeing it every time we headed back, but the towering building always held my attention.
Ellesmere was far from a small town but a lively city built atop green-capped hills. However, the Congress' headquarter made it seem insignificant compared to the sheer size of the dome.
I always wondered whether it was made of real gold or just made to be that color. In any way -and I don't know why -but it never really was to my taste. Something in the way it made everything else look small made me dislike the building.
"Home sweet home," Dorian sighed beside me, his tone not matching the tired look on his face. Behind him, an almost transparent silver panther pounced, the end of his glowing tail connecting the silver markings on Dorian's sun-kissed forearm. I believe he named that one Orm.
Redmond came up to my left, his shoulders stiffening. He never liked being in Ellesmere, saying that the city needed a little green. Which, come to think of it, he was right. The only greenery that surrounded the city was a series of hills that seemed to stretch forever. Other than that, no trees, no mountains. Not even any lakes. And the sea was miles and miles away.
To his and Ayana's fortune, only the Citar, a riverbank that expanded all the way from Freyr, went through the middle of the town's square. Other than that, Ellesmere was a city of stone and metal.
"I have half a mind to turn that hulking dome into a magnificent willow," Redmond grumbled, and I laughed at his offended expression. "Honestly, it's as if they build something new every time I'm back here."
Dorian was scratching Orm's ethereal back. I never really understood that since it wasn't an actual animal, nor did it have any fur. But it seemed a force of habit. He looked a bit annoyed at Redmond. "Listen, Flower Boy, this is the future," he gestured a hand at the grey and brown structures. "Not everyone is willing to understand it. But it's happening, whether you like it or not."
Redmond frowned at the nickname and looked rather unimpressed by the 'future' Dorian was so proud of. Nonetheless, he didn't say anything.
So I did. "Well, to me, I think whoever built this should really reconsider putting some color to it. It's drab."
Dorian's head whipped at me, and then those large brown eyes rolled back. "Oh, please! This is so typical."
I raised an eyebrow at that. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
He didn't look like he wanted to answer. He gave Orm one final pat on the head before it disappeared back to his arm, then turned to me and said, "Many people don't understand Ellesmere's way of living. You and your friends come from the four kingdoms. Things are a little less progressive there."
"Less progressive?" Redmond snapped, the edge in his voice surprising me. "You do realize you take whatever scraps from the mortal realm you get, use it, then completely discard our resources."
