The Realm Protectors

Chapter 40 - Avani

"The gateway is about two miles away from the city." Senator Aita tells us as we walk out of the Serikali. "We usually just walk there, since it only takes around a half hour, but this might be urgent enough to get a ride."

"We can take the carriage," the woman says. "The horses should be at well rested."

"Alright then, let's do that." Senator Aita nods. The woman puts two fingers to her mouth and releases a shrill whistle. Two younger boys across the street from us hear and scurry over to a building with larger windows than the buildings around it. Peering inside, I can see hay littered on the floor. A cart is waiting outside, sanded wood with cushioned seats inside. A little girl hurries out of the stable building towards us, carrying some blankets.

"The horses will be out in a second, Senator," the little girl says. She steps up into the cart and lays the blankets over the seats. I'm not sure if it's supposed to make them more comfortable or more clean, but they look comfy either way.

"Thank you," Senator Aita nods to the girl. We wait outside the cart, pausing to listen to the horses whinny inside the stable. "Oh, forgive me, your Highnesses. I have an introduction to make." Senator Aita motions to the woman next to her. "This is Aster. She's my coordinator with the militia and guards near the gateway. Any reports go straight to her, and then to me."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your Highnesses." Aster says, bowing her head.

"The pleasure is ours." Nikolina replies with a soft, shy smile.

"And you have to tell me how your stylist got your hair like that." I tell her. "That is badass. I want that next time we go into a battle."

"I sincerely hope you don't have to go into any more battles, Arch Gipson." Aster smirks.

"Yeah, yeah," I wave off the comment with a laugh. "But if we do, I need that hair."

"Noted," Aster laughs. The two boys from earlier emerge from the stable behind us, leading two beautiful horses outside. Strong muscles flex under sleek black coats, shining and healthy.

"Oh, they're beautiful," Nikolina smiles at the horses as they're hooked to the cart.

"Shadow and Atticus are our strongest and fastest horses. Naturally talented, both of them." One of the boys says. "We don't breed here."

"Let's get along then," Senator Aita announces, climbing up into the cart. "We have a gateway to tend to." I remind myself of why we're here and quickly climb in after her. Aster sits beside Senator Aita, leaving Nik and I to sit next to each other. One of the boys leans his forehead against the horse's, eyes glowing green. The horse whinnies, nodding to the boy before whinnying to the other horse. The boy steps back as the horses rear back with a neigh, taking off into the woods.

"They know the way to go?" Nikolina asks, surprised.

"We visit the gateway enough that they learned the way." Aster shrugs.

"Speaking of the gateway," I say to Senator Aita. "What kind of situation are we expecting here?"

"I'm not sure exactly," Senator Aita frowns, turning to Aster. "The correspondence didn't say anything else?"

Aster shakes her head. "It just said they want another security check. Maybe they just want to make sure everything is okay now that the Arches are in town."

"Hopefully." Senator Aita purses her lips.

We only have to wait a few more minutes before the gateway begins to appear ahead of us. It's made of rough-hewn stone covered in moss of varying shades of green. It's surrounded by a ring of squat little stone buildings, each one with doors cut into each side. Guards surround all of it, covered with armor made of different types of metal. As we get closer, I see that each chest plate is decorated with whorls of jade.