The Veil Read Online Free Page A

staring at.
    Iralia.
    Droves of mothers came to collect their children, glaring daggers at her. She didn’t seem to notice, smiling back at them and even giving a little wave. What’s their problem? I wondered as the boats kept drifting down the waterway and the park disappeared on the horizon. It was only when the gondolier himself gave her a wary glance that the penny finally dropped. She’s an Umbra in a Luminar city. That’s why the citizens were all death-staring her.  It wasn’t exactly hard to identify a Succubus when she had six-foot leather wings hanging out of her back. They all noticed her and didn’t like what they saw. I glanced at her and she cocked her head, giving me a smile back.
    It soon became clear why Fenodara was known as the Water City. Liquid was everywhere . Cascading down the sides of buildings, channeled by troughs and plates into stunning acrobatic displays, and arcing out of luxurious fountains sculptured to resemble the Elementals and other majestic creatures. Giant metal waterwheels gathered it up and distributed it inside various buildings, presumably to be used as an energy source. Water also seemed to be the main method of travel. Beyond the Valoon wardens – who patrolled the waterways and scanned the area with keen eyes – taxi boatmen dressed in white robes with red sashes steered families expertly through the channels, smiling as they passed.
    Until they noticed Iralia.
    Aegis pointed out the various zones as we passed through them. “That is the main shopping Ziggurat,” he said, pointing at a group of tall, domed buildings topped with silver spikes and connected by bridges. “It used to be a bustling zone, but with the escalation of the Ageless War, it was necessary to switch to a rationing system. Most of the shops are still open but few can afford what they have for sale.” He drummed his fingers against the side of the boat in an abstract pattern. “As you humans would say, our economy is a delicate house of cards.”
    He is really concerned. Things must be pretty bad over here, I thought.
    “Wow, what’s that over there?” asked Mikey.
    My brother was pointing at a colossal structure in the distance that dwarfed all the buildings around it. Two sets of what looked like glass steps entwined around each other, looking like the DNA strand of some magnificent deity. The steps converged onto a flat plate, which emitted a brilliant blue glow and was ringed by freestanding columns. Something bulky sat on the top of the pillars, but I was way too far away to make out the details.
    That thing has got to be over two thousand feet high, at least.
    “That is the Tower of Ascension,” answered Aegis, straightening up in his seat. “It’s where the Seelian Council of Elders meet when there is something of importance to discuss. The distance from everything gives their minds the clarity they need when searching for answers.” He gestured towards Gabriella. “Also, as I mentioned earlier, it’s where Huntmaster De Luca and whomever else they summon for council will be heading tomorrow.”
    The guards maneuvered the Valoons into an offshoot of the waterway, where a dock made from what looked like frosted glass was set into the wall. The gondolas came to a rest in a row, bobbing about in the water, and the guards threw ropes over glass mooring poles. The area we had arrived in was more tropical than futuristic, with an open stone courtyard leading into a series of tall rock walls that were topped with Corlia trees. I could hear the shushing sound of waterfalls nearby. Three Asrai wearing tiny, Asian-style gold and purple dresses were hovering just on the embankment, palms pressed together as if in prayer and wearing sweet smiles.
    The Highwarden climbed out of the boat and offered a hand out to Gabriella. She took it graciously, but rolled her eyes at me when he wasn’t looking. “This is the Homestead District,” he said once we were all on dry land. The city doesn’t get