nets, sorting their catches into tin barrels. Koyee saw angler fish that sprouted glowing stalks, clattering isopods larger than her head, eels whose skin flashed with light, and other creatures adapted to life far from the glow of dusk. One fisherman, a mere youth, began to hawk flapping lanternfish to passersby. Soldiers, looking like fish themselves in scale armor, hustled the boy aside, shouting at him to pay for a market stall within the walls. The boy stuck out his tongue, pelted the soldiers with a dead fish, and turned to flee.
Koyee's head spun. She had never seen so many people—or types of seafood!—in her life. Nostrils flaring to inhale every scent, she walked across the boardwalk, heading toward the city walls.
Towering gates rose ahead, leading from the boardwalk into Pahmey. Two towers flanked them, their indigo bricks sporting golden reliefs of moons and stars. Upon the battlements, more than a hundred feet above, stood guards in steel scales, bows in their hands, visors hiding their faces. Between these towers rose an archway; it looked tall enough for ships to sail through. A dragon mosaic gleamed upon the keystone, its scales formed of blue tiles, its eyes gleaming sapphires; here was an image of Shenlai, the fabled dragon of Qaelin, who was said to live far in the east. Beneath this coiling guardian, granite doors stood open, revealing cobbled streets lined with stone-and-glass homes.
"These walls are tall and strong," Koyee said to Eelani, "and many guards protect them. But if the Timandrians sweep across this land, demons of sunfire, will even this city fall?" She sighed. "I hope we never find out."
She walked toward the gates, resisting the urge to crane her neck back too often. If she gaped, she would reveal herself to be a foreigner, an easy target for pickpockets. Instead she breathed deeply, squared her shoulders, and tried to walk confidently across the cobblestones. All around her the crowd bustled—fishermen carrying baskets of fish, farmers pushing wheelbarrows of mushrooms, and beggars and urchins scampering about. Several merchants rode upon palanquins with silk curtains; liveried servants carried the loads, bells ringing around their necks. The smells of fresh fish, tangy mushrooms, perfumes, and sweat all filled Koyee's nostrils, vying for dominance, an intoxicating aroma both sickly and sweet.
When she reached the archway, she saw that a dozen guards stood here. They wore scales, and their helmets were shaped like the heads of beasts, horned and snarling. Each guard held a spear and wore a katana at his belt. Two stone pots stood within the archway, shaped as demons with gaping maws. Before entering the city, every person dropped a coin into a granite mouth, letting the toll chink against a treasure.
Koyee grimaced and paused.
"I didn't realize we'd have to pay," she said to Eelani. "We have only one coin."
She bit her lip, reached into her pouch, and fished out her single piece of copper. She hefted it in her palm, staring at the moonstar on its surface. She had no food or drink left; she had hoped to buy more with this coin.
"We'll have to pay. It would be no good to have come all this way, Eelani, only to be turned back at the gates." She bit her lip, rolled her eyes, and snorted. "We'll be poor and hungry, but we'll find a way to survive. We'll think on our feet."
She tightened her lips and walked closer to the city. As she neared a pot of coins, she glanced in and saw enough money to feed her until old age. Her eyes widened as the light fell upon her face.
A guard clanked toward her, and a rough hand grabbed Koyee and yanked her back.
"Don't think of stealing these coins, urchin, like you stole that pretty sword."
Koyee tugged herself free and glared at the guard. She couldn't see his face, only a visor shaped like a screaming demon. He stood a head taller than her, but Koyee placed her hands on her hips and raised her chin.
"I did not steal my sword," she said. "And
Koyee's head spun. She had never seen so many people—or types of seafood!—in her life. Nostrils flaring to inhale every scent, she walked across the boardwalk, heading toward the city walls.
Towering gates rose ahead, leading from the boardwalk into Pahmey. Two towers flanked them, their indigo bricks sporting golden reliefs of moons and stars. Upon the battlements, more than a hundred feet above, stood guards in steel scales, bows in their hands, visors hiding their faces. Between these towers rose an archway; it looked tall enough for ships to sail through. A dragon mosaic gleamed upon the keystone, its scales formed of blue tiles, its eyes gleaming sapphires; here was an image of Shenlai, the fabled dragon of Qaelin, who was said to live far in the east. Beneath this coiling guardian, granite doors stood open, revealing cobbled streets lined with stone-and-glass homes.
"These walls are tall and strong," Koyee said to Eelani, "and many guards protect them. But if the Timandrians sweep across this land, demons of sunfire, will even this city fall?" She sighed. "I hope we never find out."
She walked toward the gates, resisting the urge to crane her neck back too often. If she gaped, she would reveal herself to be a foreigner, an easy target for pickpockets. Instead she breathed deeply, squared her shoulders, and tried to walk confidently across the cobblestones. All around her the crowd bustled—fishermen carrying baskets of fish, farmers pushing wheelbarrows of mushrooms, and beggars and urchins scampering about. Several merchants rode upon palanquins with silk curtains; liveried servants carried the loads, bells ringing around their necks. The smells of fresh fish, tangy mushrooms, perfumes, and sweat all filled Koyee's nostrils, vying for dominance, an intoxicating aroma both sickly and sweet.
When she reached the archway, she saw that a dozen guards stood here. They wore scales, and their helmets were shaped like the heads of beasts, horned and snarling. Each guard held a spear and wore a katana at his belt. Two stone pots stood within the archway, shaped as demons with gaping maws. Before entering the city, every person dropped a coin into a granite mouth, letting the toll chink against a treasure.
Koyee grimaced and paused.
"I didn't realize we'd have to pay," she said to Eelani. "We have only one coin."
She bit her lip, reached into her pouch, and fished out her single piece of copper. She hefted it in her palm, staring at the moonstar on its surface. She had no food or drink left; she had hoped to buy more with this coin.
"We'll have to pay. It would be no good to have come all this way, Eelani, only to be turned back at the gates." She bit her lip, rolled her eyes, and snorted. "We'll be poor and hungry, but we'll find a way to survive. We'll think on our feet."
She tightened her lips and walked closer to the city. As she neared a pot of coins, she glanced in and saw enough money to feed her until old age. Her eyes widened as the light fell upon her face.
A guard clanked toward her, and a rough hand grabbed Koyee and yanked her back.
"Don't think of stealing these coins, urchin, like you stole that pretty sword."
Koyee tugged herself free and glared at the guard. She couldn't see his face, only a visor shaped like a screaming demon. He stood a head taller than her, but Koyee placed her hands on her hips and raised her chin.
"I did not steal my sword," she said. "And
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