The gate to Kiran City wasn't much to look at. Weathered wood, patched planks, and a faded crest so worn you could barely make out the symbols. Two guards leaned on their spears, watching the approaching figures with a blend of boredom and caution. A small girl cloaked in traveler's garb, and a woman whose beauty was far too pristine for a place like this.
"Identification?" one of the guards asked, his lip curling.
Veynessa stepped forward without a word and slipped a small pouch into his hand. The faint clink of coins inside was barely audible, but it froze the man mid-motion. He looked at her, then the pouch, then back again—as if suddenly forgetting he'd even asked a question. The tension drained from his face, replaced by a calculated indifference. He stepped aside without a word, pretending not to see them as Veynessa and Sylphia passed through the gate.
"Was that... safe?" Sylphia asked softly, glancing over her shoulder. "He just let us through. Just like that."
