Tanza had shown her disgust at these ideals when she explained it to the clan, and now Celia wondered what she would bear witness to in such a place.
Closing her eyes as tightly as possible, struggling to hold back the bursting dam of tears, she pleaded under her breath, "Galen, please, hurry."
Her words had gone unheard by Pretayus as they rode further into the town, passing into the central square. All around were closed stalls and covered wagons loaded with locked goods. Guards kept constant watch over these, moving with overlapping patrols and keeping the area well lit with lamps and torches.
More Knights maintained a stationary guard over the shops that made up nearly every building around the square, never leaving them alone for an instant. In the center of the square sat a three
