Scars of His Wrath by Zoey Ellis

Author:Zoey Ellis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zoey Ellis

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The city was, in fact, just a collection of decayed structures—slabs of rock, shapeless and worn. They were built on strange angles, as though following a design that was no longer visible.

The beast and his companions slowed down and weaved through them. But as they progressed, making their way through intricate dusty paths, the chunks of rock took on form and shape until they became intact ruins.

The placement of the buildings and the way the roads interlocked had been designed with intention and expertise. Although crumbling and in disrepair, they’d been designed to be aesthetically pleasing, with shapely roofs, carvings, and decoration. This had once been a beautiful city.

They continued through the roads and the ruins gradually improved, until they came upon several of them that weren’t ruins at all but a series of buildings, untouched by decay.

They formed a circular labyrinth of homes, their surfaces painted in shades of orange, brown, and yellow, which the late afternoon sun transformed into a breathtaking display of amber, russet, and gold. It was a gorgeous sight. The homes were small and homely, framed with pots of plants and decoration, and children ran between them.

People came out into the road and called out to the beast, waving and bowing as he passed, but they also stared at Naya. The faces here were a stark contrast to those at the camp. This time, tense expressions of bewilderment, fear, and anger suggested a collective concern. Had they been told she would be kidnapped?

Naya watched them back, meeting their eyes with her own determination. If they knew she was taken, then escaping would mean working against the entire city, not just the beast, who definitely appeared to be an important figure to them.

She kept her chin up, and her expression blank, but her mind raced.

The beast and his companions rode on, and the buildings of the city transformed again to bigger and more impressive designs following the labyrinth design that began from the very outskirts. They passed markets and communal areas, and the population became denser and louder. The air became a catastrophe of noise and odor—metal clanging, smoky bitterness, and raucous voices all competing with each other.

Citizens lined the streets to call out and bow to the beast, rows of them in colorful clothing and glittering jewelry.

Finally, by the time dusk had taken hold of the skies, they turned into quieter roads and arrived at an enormous palace. With its walls a shade of rich golden brown, it seemed to have been created directly from the desert itself. From what she could see, it was beautiful, punctuated by an array of windows and panels and stately pillars, and encircled by a wall that was similarly designed—with intricate lattice decoration carved in the top half and rimmed with spires. There was a timeless magnificence about it, like it had been standing for a long time, yet remarkably well-kept—a far cry from the ruins on the outskirts of the city.

The traveling party trotted straight through the gates and finally stopped in the forecourt, where guards had gathered.

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