With LaLa and Crystal on their leashes, we were escorted to a viewing deck—three levels above the main deck, railed in tight to keep anyone from falling. It was close with the seven of us, plus Nine, plus the three guards, but there wasn’t much in the way of frivolous space on any ship, not even one this big. From here, we could see the vast swath of the main deck, the layers of the other upper decks, and all ten of the great masts as the crew worked to furl the sails and let the harbor boats tug the skimmer den in.

That was when I saw them.

Dragons.

A pair of immense obsidian Drakontos titanus statues bracketed the mouth of a river ahead, their wings arched back and their talons raised up. Sunlight gleamed in the black depths, beautiful and deadly. They were even bigger than real titanuses, at least by half again.

“Welcome to the city of Sunder.” Nine stretched one arm out before us, and pride shone bright on her face.

“Seven gods.” Ilina dropped her head back as we began to pass between the dragons. Crystal and LaLa agreed, flapping their wings and letting out spurts of fire. “They’re magnificent.”

“I’ve never seen anything like them.” I couldn’t help the awe in my tone, or the way my chest tightened at the sight of those carved dragons. It was masterful work, making my soul crave the Fallen Isles. I hoped Hush and all the dragons she’d helped free were still safe.

Beyond the twin titanuses, pale buildings rose on either side of the wide river, with immaculate lawns that ran down to retaining walls just ahead of the sandy banks.

Wait, no. There were multiple buildings on the western bank of the river—separated by small yards—but the eastern side held a single, long building that moved upward along with the land. White marble, swirled with pink and blue and flecks of gold, dominated this face, with elegant columns and patios that shaded small clusters of people in colorful dress. Dozens—hundreds—of windows winked in the midmorning sun.

“What is that building?” I asked as numbers ticked in the back of my head: windows, people, buildings. There was too much to keep track of.

“The imperial palace,” Nine said. “The main entrance is on the other side, but we wanted to get you here quickly, with as little fuss getting through the city as possible.”

I’d have liked to see the rest of the city, but perhaps she was right. We were all tired and rough from travel, and I didn’t want to embarrass the Fallen Isles by coming through looking so wrung out.

Then again, this arrival felt like all the times I’d traveled as the Hopebearer, my escorts ensuring I saw only the parts of cities they wanted me to see: the wealthy districts, the acceptable masses, and the poor only from a distance, and only when someone was actually helping them. Prosperity like this usually masked hardship for others.