Apparently, Matt was not going to be left out of this. His mindvoice was fainter now that he was on the other side of a gate, but still clear. I sensed him viewing through my eyes with interest.
Aren’t you running?I asked.
Yep. Can run and be a peeping tomcat at the same time, apparently.
That’s a surprise. And it’s ‘tomwolf,’ I think.
That makes zero sense.
My point, actually.
He blew me the mental equivalent of a raspberry as I took in the sights. Ketamit might possess similar infrastructure to the other cities I had visited, but its streets were pristine. Even the alleyways were clear of any debris. The main street was lined with huge trees, their branches arching over the roadway.
Cara gestured to them, and to the planters filled with colorful flowers. “The city’s gardeners are mostly Satyrs,” she stated. “They have a way with plants.”
The streets glistened in the early morning light, and when I saw a crew washing them down, I understood why. The main modes of transportation seemed to be resident-powered cycles and rickshaws. Larger loads consisted of wagons pulled by big creatures resembling lizards, rather than mechanized traffic.
I commented on it, and Cara said, “That is by choice. They started the mechanization process in this realm, but halted it by government decree when it became clear that it was taking them down a dangerous path, one reliant on fossil-fuel energy.”
Trix and I watched a wagon trundle by. “Is the entire realm like this?” I asked Cara.
She shook her head. “No. Only this continent. But the others have now recognized the need to make changes, and are not too late to do so.”
I thought on that as I examined the residents. They were a mixed lot, and bright colors abounded in their clothing choices. Trix kept trying to meet them, her entire body wiggling as they passed us by. Some nodded and smiled at her antics, although it was doubtful they’d ever seen a dog before. But I did see a few walking other animals on leashes, and as the pets here were a varied lot, they accepted my dog with ease.
We soon walked along a vine-covered stone wall. Enormous branches arching over it indicated the land beyond was heavily treed.
We approached an ornate set of iron gates. The metal had been shaped into an intricate knot that I recognized.
The Satyr royal crest.
30
Anna
The guards at the gates were not Satyrs, but rather a bulky species with unusual purple skin. They looked formidable, but they bowed to Cara and opened the gates.
You do, indeed, have powerful friends,was Matt’s comment.
From a small building just inside, a figure emerged. He was a Satyr, dressed in a uniform, and on his arm sat a bird. I recognized the ornate feathers—a Phoenix, but with different colors from Sparkle. With a poof of flame and ash, it vanished.
Trix stared in astonishment at where the bird had been only a millisecond before, then walked over to sniff the floating motes of ash left behind.
Cara leaned closer to me. “Our arrival has been announced.”
It surprised me that we weren’t escorted—I supposed Watchers were granted trusted status here, too. We rounded a bend in the road, and I stared in awe.
Plants were everywhere I looked, the foliage in vibrant colors, many bushes and trees in full, glorious bloom. I saw something large bounding into the bushes, and the leaves rippled with life on the move.
“Satyrs were originally forest creatures,” Cara explained. “So they have always had a close affinity for plants. They encourage them to grow to perfection.”
“Do they attract animals too?” I asked.
“The animals come along with the plants,” Cara answered. “But the Satyr’s attraction has always been a sex-oriented thing. And I have never noticed that it extends to animals.”
I was so gobsmacked I barely listened to the answer. Everything was so perfect, from the huge trees to tiny flowers blooming in the grass beneath them. And now that I could sense the energies, I realized how balanced they were.
“You said there was a maze?” I asked.
