After an hour and a half of travel, the three pairs of humans and lions arrived at a clearing nestled in the mountains. It was astonishing to find such flat terrain halfway between the foothills of the Janai ranges and the towering peak of Mount Paraiso.
Marx, Vasquez, and Princess Amaya dismounted from the lions. The animals headed toward a nearby stream to drink while the humans took their water containers and drank from them.
Marx pulled out his mobile phone and opened a map app. Amaya leaned closer to peer at the screen, her subtle fragrance wafting toward him and momentarily clouding his focus. It took all his willpower to return his attention to the map.
"We're here," Marx said, tracing a route on the screen with his finger. "This is Janai Este. From here, we need to traverse this path to Janai Centro. Once we get through, we'll descend behind Janai Centro and begin the climb to Mount Paraiso."
