“How did you ever function without Lance?” Rex asked.
“I’ve often asked the same question. But Carthem wasn’t as dangerous before he came here. After Alina was born and Lance left Pria, then Sampson, in his anger, became aggressive about matters in Carthem.”
Alina asked, “Are there other cities besides Stormport and Jaden?”
“No, Carthem is sparsely populated. We have a few people who come from Pria, but most are descendants of survivors from the Last Great War. So, the population grows slowly. Jaden is equipped with the same security as Stormport, which keeps them safe from Prian dangers. Most of our population lives in these two cities, but there are a few smaller towns as well.”
“Are there any wild savages?” Alina asked, thinking about what she’d been taught in school.
Baylor chuckled. “There are some distant towns, I hear, where the people live without electricity or modern conveniences. We don’t travel much because the wilderness is so dangerous. The nearest settlements are all similar to ours, minus the extra security. In time, we hope to implement this security in all of our towns, but it’s expensive and the resources hard to come by. If we could explore Carthem we could find all we need, but Sampson has kept the wilderness deadly to stop this kind of progress. You’ll find his iron hand squeezes us tightly here, which is why overthrowing him is our top priority.”
“Let’s get moving, then!” Rex said, slapping his good leg. “Will Jade’s surgery take long?”
“After the operation, it’ll take a week before she’s fully recovered. There have been some repercussions in previous surgeries, when the brain did not heal properly. But after five days she should be out of danger.”
A rock formed in Alina’s stomach. “Do those repercussions happen often?”
“You know, I’m not the one to ask. You can visit her and talk with Dr. Scott tomorrow. He’s too busy today. We have rooms for you to stay in, and food and donated clothing, but we expect you to work and contribute while you’re here. Many people fresh from Pria become helpless and depressed. Mortality is overwhelming for them, so they curl up in a ball and shut down. It’s expected every newcomer will go through this, so we have counseling for it. We call it ‘mortal shock syndrome.’ I personally believe the best antidote for it is work.”
Baylor led them from the room and Rex leaned on Alina’s shoulder as he limped down the hallway to the foyer. Baylor raised his palm. “Wait here while I see if your rooms are ready for you.” He walked to the woman behind the front desk.
Alina helped Rex settle into an armchair, then strolled over to the sprawling glass window. She recoiled as a small creature with eight legs skittered across the floor in front of her. She’d seen similar creatures in the woods when they traveled from the portal, but they were outside. Could those creepy things get inside buildings? Or bedrooms? Even beds? She shuddered and walked to the other end of the window.
The cars fascinated her. Round wheels spinning over the ground seemed such a slow, inefficient way to get somewhere. At times, people walking on the sidewalks moved faster. Unsightly brown and white spots covered most of the cars’ doors and roofs, and they rattled and screeched as if they might malfunction at any moment.
A young man walked past the window and Alina gasped as she noticed bright red bumps sprinkled over his face. The bumps are normal!
He caught her staring at him and halted, his eyes widening. She felt a kinship to him, so she smiled.
His jaw dropped, then he shut his mouth and hustled on, blushing up to his ears. He glanced back at her as he walked away.
Alina crossed her arms and rubbed her jaw with her fingers. She must look different, because she’d never caught a boy’s eye like that before.
“We’re ready for you,” Baylor called to Alina. She hurried to help Rex out of his chair, and they hobbled after Baylor to the elevator. They went up three stories to a quiet floor, where Baylor unlocked one of the doors and nodded to Alina.
“This is your room. Rex will be next door. Food will be brought up shortly, and feel free to call the front desk if you need anything else. They know you’re here. Although, they don’t know Alina is here.” He grinned.
“Please don’t spread the word yet,” Rex said. “I think we should keep her identity concealed until I consult with Camden.”
Baylor nodded. “That’s wise. I’ll certainly keep her secret.” He glanced between both of them and smiled. “I’m honored to meet you. My father was expelled from Pria, and he carried a deep loathing for Sampson until the end of his life. I honor him by working to overthrow Sampson.”
“Who was your father?” asked Rex.
“Xavier.”
Rex smiled softly. “Camden told me of him. They were close friends in Pria. I hope they shared some time here before he died.”
“A little. His life was cut shorter than it should’ve been, but he accomplished a lot during his time.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Baylor. Thanks for your help.”
“Always.”
Rex hobbled with Alina into her room. She shut the door and looked around. “This isn’t bad,” Alina noted. The walls were covered in flowered paper, and she had a single bed with a blanket, a table and chair, a monitor, and a small bathroom. “Everything you need, right? Except a change of clothes. We should’ve planned this trip better,” she joked.
“We’ll be fine. I think Miss Alina will have the entire city at her disposal,” Rex teased.
She rolled her eyes. “So,
