Under the light of dawn, they began to pass farms. A wagon went by in the opposite direction. The driver hardly looked at them.
“Don’t tense up when you see people,” Jace told Cole. “You were glancing at that guy too much. Nobody knows us. We’re free kids on a stroll. Act like you own the road. Don’t pay attention to other people, and they probably won’t pay attention to you. If they want to be friendly, let them make the first move.”
Cole resisted the urge to get defensive. He had felt tense when he saw the driver, and it might have shown. “Good advice.”
After the road briefly became the main street of a little hamlet, they began to pass many more homesteads, large and small. People went up and down the road on horseback, in wagons or carriages, and on foot. The presence of so many other people helped Cole relax and feel less conspicuous. The crowds dispelled his sleepiness. He watched for legionnaire uniforms and tried to casually notice whether any of the passersby showed unusual interest in Mira.
As the sun climbed, the lane continued to get busier until it joined up with a larger road. Coming around a bend, Cole looked out at a massive wall that was the dark green of a forest at twilight. Beyond the imposing barrier, rooftops, domes, towers, and spires suggested a city of greater scale than Cole had expected. It didn’t look anything like the scattered tall buildings and sprawling suburbs of Phoenix. This city was more compact, with architecture that brought to mind ancient capitals from history books.
“That really is a city,” Cole muttered.
“You didn’t think the five kingdoms were all farms and woods, did you?” Jace asked.
“And magical floating castles,” Cole added.
“He hasn’t been here long,” Mira said. “We’ve avoided the more populated areas.”
“Which isn’t always the best strategy,” Jace said. “It can be easier to get lost in a crowd.”
“There are pros and cons,” Twitch said. “Crowds have lots of eyes.”
“Among the pros are food and beds,” Jace said. “I’ll take my chances.”
“What’s Elloweer like?” Cole asked. “I still don’t know much about it.”
“It’s hard to explain,” Mira said. “The shaping in Sambria seems straightforward to me. Elloweer is more mystical. The shapers there spice things up with showmanship. They call their art enchanting.”
“They make seemings,” Twitch said.
“Seemings are illusions,” Mira explained. “The best seemings look totally authentic, but they’re not tangible, no matter how solid they appear.”
“And then there are the changelings,” Jace said.
“Changelings are living things that have been altered,” Mira said. “In Sambria, we can imitate life with semblances, but our kind of shaping doesn’t work well on living things. Some of the Ellowine enchanters can make astonishing alterations to living beings.”
Cole glanced at Twitch.
“What? Are you wondering if I’m a changeling? If so, it happened a long time ago, to my great-great-great-grandparents. And eventually I inherited it. But our traditions hold that our ancestors came to Elloweer from elsewhere.”
“It’s believed that Elloweer connects to many worlds,” Mira said. “Or at least it may have in the past. Like Twitch, some of the unusual Ellowine people look human if they leave their kingdom. Others physically can’t leave at all.”
“Standard advice in the five kingdoms is to steer clear of Elloweer,” Jace said.
“I didn’t get taken as a slave until I left Elloweer,” Twitch complained.
“Well, in Sambria, people think twice before heading too far east,” Jace said. “Weird stuff happens there.”
“Nobody knows all aspects of Ellowine enchanting,” Mira said. “It’s almost as murky as the shaping in Necronum.”
Cole stared ahead at the city. “What’s the wall made of? It looks a little translucent. Is it jade?” His grandpa had a carved jade sphere from China of similar color and texture.
“Who knows?” Mira said. “It was shaped long ago. You can bet it’s tougher than jade. The old-timers who used shaping for construction knew their craft.”
“If it was made by shapers, the wall must be different on the east side of the city,” Cole reasoned.
“We’ll see soon enough,” Mira said.
The nearer they drew to the wall, the more details Cole could distinguish. The smoky green surface was ornately carved, especially near the top, with figures in relief and twisting vines bearing fruit. Because of the size and artistry, Cole suspected that on Earth, the wall would be one of the wonders of the world.
The road led to a massive gate, wide enough for a pair of wagons to pass each other going through. A raised portcullis hung above the opening like a row of giant spears. Pairs of armed guards stood at either side of the gate, vigilantly watching all who came and went. At least the guardsmen weren’t dressed as legionnaires.
“We should split up on the way in,” Twitch suggested. “In case they have descriptions of our group.”
“Not a bad idea,” Jace said. “I’ll stick with Mira. You two go first. Just head straight, then wait for us down the road. Remember, you come here all the time. You’re bored of this place. You belong here.”
Cole and Twitch picked up their pace while the others hung back. A busy stream of people were entering and exiting. The guards were paying attention, but nobody was getting stopped or questioned. Cole pressed forward, watching the guy in front of him, keeping his eyes off the guards. He tried to look and feel bored, but his heart was racing.
The gateway’s tunnel was about fifteen paces long. As Cole entered, he noticed one of the guards watching him. Beneath the shadow of the wall, the sweat on his back felt slimy. He became painfully aware of the sword belted to his side. How suspicious did it look? Did kids carry swords here? He grew hyperconscious of the ringers he had tied around each leg—a serious amount of money. What if he was caught hiding so much cash?
Forcing a yawn, Cole stretched as he walked. Trying to dwell on dull thoughts, he kept putting one foot in front of the other. He felt relief as he passed through to the other side of the wall, and saw the city spread out before him. The smallest buildings in view were three or four stories high, with some structures rising much higher. Merchants peddled their wares from stalls along the street. Others set their merchandise on blankets. Products included fruit, meat, clothing, jewelry, live birds, and painted statuettes. The herds of people forced the wagons to make their way slowly, though the throng tended to part when horses got near. A couple of autocarts fought the crowd as well, pulled by walking bricks.