The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

Needless to say, I was grateful for that. My senses were
already overwhelmed, and I really didn’t want to greet the
citizens of Evaemon as a blubbering mess.
The wolven remained with us, along with Naill. Soldiers
among the Guardians waited in the shadows of the entry
building, bowing at their waists as we passed. My heart
thumped heavily as we turned to the east, entering an
empty road outside the long colonnades I’d spotted at the
mouth of the bridge.
“What are these buildings used for?” I asked.
“They house the machinery that converts the water into
electricity,” Casteel explained, keeping Setti close. “You’ll
see several of these throughout the city.”
“That’s amazing,” I murmured as, across the street,
where doors slowly opened from sandstone buildings,
curious faces appeared.
“And boringly complicated,” Naill stated from behind us.
“But you could recite each piece of equipment and what
the purpose of it is,” Kieran replied.
“True.” Naill smiled when I glanced over my shoulder at
him. “My father is one of many who oversees the mills.”
“Oversees?” Casteel snorted. “More like he’s the heart
of the mills. His father is mostly responsible for keeping
these ancient wheels working so that everyone has access
to everything electricity can provide.”
“Your father must be very smart,” I said, my gaze
flicking over the faces that appeared in the windows. There
were no hostile looks or feelings. Most seemed more
focused on the mass of wolven converging on the street.
“That he is,” Naill answered, his pride as warm as the
sun.
About a half-dozen wolven, along with Delano, had
fallen back. I reached out to him in concern, finding the
springy freshness of his imprint.
All is well, he assured me after a moment, his response
tentative as if he were still getting used to communicating