A Court of Wings and Fate

27. Shadowy Touches

    Estelle sat on the edge of her bed, focusing her magic. She formed it as a crackling ball in between her palms. She could feel it reaching towards the rifts in her concentration, but she managed to maintain control.

    The front door opened and several footsteps entered the house. Voices grew loud and Estelle's focus wavered. She dissipated her magic as the bedroom door creaked open, revealing Mikael.

    "You didn't destroy my bed. I'm impressed," he chuckled.

    "I could remedy that."

    "I'd rather you didn't. Where would I sleep then?"

    "On the floor." Estelle smirked, brushing past him. They entered the hallway and headed towards the main room.

    "Maybe you'd sleep on the floor and I'd steal your bed."

    "Maybe you'd share a bed," Celeste cut in with a snicker.

    Estelle didn't miss the way Corbin, Nyx, and Lysander all tensed. "Not likely," she answered. "I don't want to wake up covered in feathers."

    "I don't want to wake up covered in shadows," Mikael retorted.

    "Let's stop talking and get going!" Calden pointed to the door. "I'm ready to do some sightseeing."

    Nyx tucked his hands in his pockets, tilting his head towards Estelle. "Where are we going first?"

    "I thought we could take them to the Palace of Thread and Jewels and the Palace of Bone and Salt," Estelle replied.

    Sienna arched an eyebrow. "Those are odd names for palaces."

    "They aren't actually palaces," Corbin explained. "They're market squares."

    "Oh, that makes...some sense?"

    "Let's go," Nyx said.

    Celeste, Lysander, and Calden held onto him as he winnowed out of the hut. Mikael, Corbin, and Sienna joined Estelle. She let the shadows carry them out of the mountains and all the way to Velaris. They arrived in a bustling square. Several of the stalls and shops were lit up by candles, lanterns, and faelights as twilight settled over the city.

    They lingered there for several minutes, letting the Peregryns take in the sights. Celeste and Sienna's eyes were wide with awe. They began walking presently, explaining certain aspects of the Palaces as they went. A few of the city's denizens paused to stare at the foreigners, but soon carried on with their business.

    "How many Palaces are there and what do they sell?" Mikael asked, falling in step with Estelle.

    "There are four of them. Two on the northern side of the Sidra and two on the southern. We're to the south. They sell a variety of things. This one mainly sells clothing, jewelry, shoes, trinkets, and other such items. There are Palaces that sell food and are full of clubs and restaurants. Some sell weapons, tools, and livestock."

    "You mentioned the Sidra. What is that?"

    "It's a river leading out into the sea. We'll walk along it later," she promised.

    "Have you told them about the Rainbow?" Lysander asked. Estelle shook her head.

    Celeste linked her arm with Lysander's. "What's the Rainbow?"

    "It's the art district of the city. It's home to a lot of artists, musicians, dancers, and actors. The buildings are painted with bright colors. There are sculpture gardens, art galleries, music studios, and theaters."