Chapter Five

“ T here it is,” Solon called from atop his horse. Orion was already staring at the great bronze mass of a city that rose out of the gently rolling fields they had been traveling through for the past few days. These fields, he knew from his studies, overflowed with golden wheat in the summer months. Now they sat vacant but neatly tended, the earth prepared for a long winter slumber.

Orion had spent so much time reading about the great cities of Domhan na Rùin, and now he was seeing one with his own eyes. Though his career had been made through his scholarship on the history of magic in Domhan na Rùin, he had had a lifelong love of architecture and cultural studies. Ichorna was an interesting nation; they had been scorned by the rest of Domhan na Rùin because of their magic’s complicated moral implications. Only in the past few hundred years had they coaxed the wider world into more open trade and travel with their impressive technological advances, like the Rail Dellumine.

Orion turned as motion at the corner of his field of vision caught his eye. A bronze train slid across the open fields toward Lucinne. Knowing about the magic-powered Rail and seeing it were two entirely different things. Orion stared after it in awe. He had spent his adult life studying magic, having never actually seen any; it was a sight to behold and, he guessed, the first of many incredible things he would see in the next month.

They could have taken the Rail from one of the many towns they had passed on their journey, but something about the contraptions made Solon uneasy, so they had opted for horses. Orion wouldn’t have minded seeing what all the fuss with the Rail was about, but he wasn’t sad to have his horse with him on the trip. They did, thankfully, send their trunks ahead of them via courier. A whole month’s worth of clothing took up quite a bit of space, as it turned out.

It was midday, but the sun barely pierced the overcast sky. Despite the clouds, Lucinne reflected any bit of light like a great jeweled crown. Even from this distance, tiny motes of color could be spotted. Of all the things Orion was excited to see, Lucinne’s famed stained glass windows captured his imagination the most; he had a weakness for lovely things.

While Ichorna’s history was a topic Orion had spent years studying, its current events were more difficult to hear about. They sent messengers to Mulhouse to document news on a regular basis, but the border town wasn’t exactly at the heart of the action. Information was a slow trickle, but Orion supposed knowing something was better than knowing nothing.

Solon and Orion continued the last leg of their journey, Lucinne growing larger as they approached.

Orion wondered if they would have the chance to meet the famed High Sangviere. The stories they received of her were his favorite. She sounded fearsome—strategic and talented. It was said she was the most powerful mage Ichorna had seen in a hundred years. He knew they had been struggling with attacks from beasts called the Gevaud that had seemingly appeared from nowhere, and that the High Sangviere’s leadership had helped to manage the situation.

Tales of her blood magic were told almost as legends among the Ichornians of the border towns. Orion was grateful the Gevaud attacks hadn’t spread to Beitar, and he was intrigued by the woman who had so creatively managed the situation despite the lack of understanding of its causes. The blood magic of the Sangviere was considered taboo by many, but Orion had always been intrigued by it. The thought of meeting the greatest living Sangviere was incredibly exciting to him.

Regardless of who they met or how excited he was about it, Orion knew he had to stay focused on their true goal. He must do whatever he could to understand the reasons behind his people’s plight.

As they approached the gates to the city, the path widened and they were no longer the only ones on the road. A small crowd had accumulated near the gate itself, and guards were speaking with people as they entered the city. It was a time of peace, but since Lucinne was the royal seat of Ichorna, the guards were likely always vigilant.

Orion and Solon nudged their horses forward when it was their turn to speak to the guard.

“Name and destination,” the guard asked, not too harshly.

“I am Lord Solon Lùtair of Beitar, and my companion is Professor Orion Doehlan, also of Beitar. We are here as Queen Aldith’s invited guests for the millennium celebration,” Solon said in a firm voice.

“I see,” the guard said, clearly surprised to see them at the gates on horseback instead of arriving on the Rail. “I will let the palace know you have arrived in the city. Please, follow the main road straight through town and you will come to the gates of the palace complex,” the guard continued, gesturing for them to go ahead.

“Thank you,” Solon said, already moving forward through the gates.

A light scent of spice filled the air as they made their way up the main boulevard of the city. It was just as magnificent as Orion had hoped it would be. Buildings of warm beige stone were adorned with carved naturalistic facades and touches of bronze. They had the appearance of vines, flowers, and tree trunks—every surface artistically rendered. The people of Lucinne hurried by on either side of the wide boulevard, all in jewel-toned coats, looking for all the world as if they had just stepped out of the colorful windows that adorned nearly every corner of this city.

They passed a picturesque park of evergreen trees and fountains where children played; a massive glass-domed building with a sign above the brass doors in great scrolling letters, Centrale Lumine ; a tiny shop with colorful cakes in the window that smelled of sweet almond as they walked by.

The city was so different from Sgùrdruid that Orion hardly knew what to make of it.

Soon enough, they arrived at the entrance to the palace complex and—surprisingly—were admitted immediately without so much as a hello from the guards. Orion looked at the central building in awe; it was truly massive, and the most elegant structure he had ever seen. The reality of where he was hit him fully then, and all sorts of emotions tumbled through his heart—excitement, anxiety, determination. Above all, he felt grateful for this chance to experience the world.

All thoughts left his mind, however, as he felt a tug on his sternum. He shifted his gaze to find the most beautiful woman he had ever seen standing across the courtyard at the top of the steps to the palace. Her figure was full, all soft curves, and her dark hair was stark next to the ivory of her complexion. Her face was fixed in a polite, neutral expression, but even from this distance he could tell her eyes were sharp and intelligent. She was the most beautiful person Orion had ever seen. A rush of emotions filled his mind at the sight of her; he felt compelled to be close to her, felt as if he’d known her his whole life. He didn’t have words for what he was feeling, but goosebumps covered his arms as he stared at her. He didn’t know why, but this woman, whoever she was, was important to him; he belonged with her.