He nodded to the group. 'Sorry to have bothered you.'
His eyes rested on Sela for a moment, and the thinnest of threads leapt into place. He thought her pretty, nothing more. But it was enough. Believe me, she nudged.
'I saw two women and a man on the platform before we came on board,' she said. 'They looked very suspicious. I remember them because they were about to hand over their tickets, but then all of a sudden changed their minds and headed back to the terminal. Isn't that odd?'
The soldier nodded. 'Indeed! You've got a keen eye, ma'am.'
He turned to his fellows. 'Looks like they slipped away before getting on board,' he said quietly. 'I'll send the sprite back and tell them to stop wasting our time.' The soldiers shared a quiet laugh and retreated toward the front of the cabin.
Once they were gone, Silverdun took the hand of the young husband. 'Thank you,' he said.
'I'm your brother,' said the young man. 'There is nothing to thank me for.'
Sela gave Silverdun a questioning look. 'I'll explain later,' he whispered.
Alpaurle: Let us speak, then, of the good man. How do we determine which is the good man?
The High Priest: That is easy. He is the one who thinks and acts virtuously, and avoids sin.
Alpaurle: And how do we know which thoughts and actions are virtuous, and which are sinful?
The High Priest: Is the distinction not obvious?
Alpaurle: It is not obvious to me, but then, very little is. Perhaps you can explain it to me?
-Alpaurle, from Conversations with the High Priest of Ulet, Conversation VI, edited by Feven IV of the City Emerald
he rest of the trip passed without incident. They all slept through most Df the day.
Sela's dreams were fleeting and strange, incorporating the dream imagery of those sleeping around her. She saw Silverdun lying in a field of wheat, kissing a woman in white. The woman had long golden hair, and wore a band around her arm, an Accursed Object. Sela felt warm, drew in closer, felt the wheat tickling her ankles. Silverdun bent down to kiss the woman's neck and Sela saw her face; it wasn't Sela. She was younger, her features sharp and her eyes bright with pleasure. She looked at Sela and laughed with joy, bent her head back, arched her back, pressed against her lover. The dream faded and was replaced in turn by others, but its sensations lingered.
She came awake with a start. 'Just in time,' said Silverdun. 'I think you'll want to see this.' He pointed out the window.
At first Sela couldn't understand was she was seeing. A thousand stars spread out beneath Mab s Contempt, a night sky inverted. Then her eyes adjusted and she saw that they were not stars, but the lights of a city. A city unlike any she had ever seen before.
Preyia spread out below them, huge, an island rising up from a black sea. It was difficult to gauge distances, but it seemed almost as big as the walled portion of the City Emerald. It rose in seven massive tiers, each smaller than the one below it, in pleasantly irregular curves.
Massive sails rose from each tier, glowing in red and blue and gold witchlight. Ships large and small came and went from it, like moths circling slowly around a lamp. The entire scene was softly bathed in moonlight.
It was impossibly large, but as Mab's Contempt continued to approach it grew even larger, until it blocked out the sky and it almost seemed as though they were approaching solid ground.
A few minutes passed and then there was a soft shudder as the transport ship docked with Preyia.
Around her, weary travelers rose, collecting their belongings.
The young husband across from them stood and stretched. 'Come out with us, brother. Let us be seen leaving the ship together.'
Silverdun smiled. 'That's kind of you. Thanks.'
They came out on deck, and the lights and sounds of Preyia exploded in Sela's senses. Music, shouting, the buzz of conversation. Great lights on rotating bases searched the sky. Avenues radiated out from the docks, bathed in multicolored witchlight.
'Welcome to Preyia,' said the young wife, taking Sela's arm.
Cooking smells assaulted Sela as they stepped onto the dock, roasting meats and cooking onions and exotic spices. Her stomach growled.
