When they reached the guards, one of them — a broad-shouldered man with a thick beard — held up a hand.
"Hold it. State your business."
The adventurer offered a friendly smile, pulling out a small badge from his cloak. "Returning from an expedition. These three are with me."
The guard eyed Rem and the kids before grunting. "You know the rules. No criminals, no smuggling, no causing trouble."
"Of course."
With a wave, the guard let them pass, and just like that, they were inside.
The city was even more alive than it had seemed from the cliff. The streets were paved with smooth stone, worn down by years of traffic.
Stalls lined the roads, offering everything from exotic spices to enchanted trinkets. The smell of freshly baked bread mixed with the scent of roasted meat, making Kiara's stomach rumble audibly.
Luke glanced at her with an amused smirk. "You're starving, aren't you?"
She scowled. "Shut up."
