“Whoa, nice bridge,” Drayce breathed.
Caelan turned his attention to the graceful curving steel-and-concrete edifice rising up in front of them. It was a masterpiece of art and function, not to mention a classy way of welcoming visitors to the royal city.
“It was named after Caspagir’s deceased king and husband to Queen Noemi,” Rayne replied.
As they started across the bridge, a strange tingle danced across Caelan’s flesh. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms, but it didn’t go away. Goose bumps formed and the hair on his forearms rose up. At first, he thought it might be nerves, but that wasn’t right.
The frisson of energy was almost like what he felt when he returned to Stormbreak after being away for a period. The electric touch of the Godstone.
But that couldn’t be, because the Godstone wasn’t in Sirelis, right? The Empire wouldn’t have brought it here.
The only other option was that there was a second stone here in Sirelis. That was nonsense, though. Everyone knew there was only one godstone in all of Thia, and it rested in Stormbreak as it always had.
Caelan’s gaze strayed to his arms again. There was no mistaking the feeling, the low crackle of power in the air. Was this why his mother had sent him to Caspagir rather than Ilon?
The bridge dropped them straight into the heart of the royal capital city. It was an elegant, regal metropolis bustling with people and overflowing with obvious wealth, but there was an incredibly old feel to it, as if it were trapped within a period of time more than two hundred years old.
But then, it was clear that architecture and decor were taking their cues from the royal palace, which sat atop a hill above the city. No building stood taller than the towers and spires of the castle. The only exception seemed to be the lighthouse that stood out on a point overlooking both the city and the vast harbor.
Many of the streets were cobblestone, and all the lamps were a decadent curling wrought iron with a frosted-white glass globe. The soft glow did little to push back the morning fog rolling in from the sea. Rooftops were covered in red clay tiles and many of the buildings were a soft yellow or white, while others had red brick accents. Sirelis was like stepping into another time.
Caelan hadn’t realized how much he’d taken the impact the Godstone had on Stormbreak for granted until they were riding through Sirelis. His hometown was decorated in various shades of green, particularly the royal green of the Talos family and the Godstone. Everywhere he looked, there were constant reminders of the Godstone—from stone statues to green-stained glass in the shape of the stone lining shop windows.
But in Sirelis, the dominant color was a cool, deep blue. While there were no images of a godstone, blue with an accent of white was everywhere, particular in window frames and doors. The color gave the city a calming, peaceful vibe that he appreciated.
With surprising ease, Rayne directed them to a quiet part of town away from the thickest throng of people. He selected a hotel that appeared modest and unassuming. Not the first place that someone might search for a missing prince.
With the key in hand, Eno ushered Caelan inside, trying to shield him from view with his larger frame, while Rayne and Drayce hauled in the rest of their things. Eno quickly checked over their small suite, which held two bedrooms, a sitting area, and a small bathroom. There was only one bed in each room, but at least it was more comfortable than the lumpy beds in Shallow Edge or even the ground.
“How is it that you seem to know Sirelis so well?” Drayce drawled before pointedly waggling his eyebrows at Rayne. He flopped onto the small yellow sofa and propped one foot up on the arm. “I thought Erya and Caspagir only exchanged one diplomat on occasion.”
“While Erya and Caspagir have limited diplomatic relations, the borders between the two kingdoms are not closed,” Rayne replied stiffly. With a slight curl of his upper lip, he pinched the top of Drayce’s shoe and picked it up, moving the man’s foot so that it dropped off the sofa arm and onto the floor. “Relations are tepid, but open for trade and the exchange of information. As I told you earlier, I spent some time here when I was younger as part of an international study program. I lived in Sirelis for two years and got to know the city quite well. We’ll be safe here so long as you don’t draw attention to yourself.”
“What about that one?” Eno asked, jerking his thumb. Caelan turned from the window he was peeking out of to find Eno pointing at him.
Caelan looked up to find his friends were closely watching him. “What about me?”