The guard led them past the towering gates, into the Vayhill city.
From the outside, it had already looked like something from a painting—sloped rooftops curved like waves beneath the morning sun, made of pale silverwood and smooth stone that shimmered faintly in the light.
But inside… it was something else entirely.
The air held a faint, refreshing chill, scented with florals and distant hearthfire.
Roads were paved with polished stone inlaid with patterns—elegant but not extravagant.
Carriages rolled quietly over smooth paths while citizens moved with relaxed grace, dressed in layered silks or worn leather, most marked by subtle crests of trade guilds or houses.
Laughter echoed lightly from a nearby plaza where street performers juggled glowing stones, and soft music from a wind flute drifted through the air.
Birds circled the higher terraces, and across a narrow canal, children were feeding koi that shimmered gold and pale blue.
The guard didn't slow.
