The moment I stepped through the checkpoint, the atmosphere changed.
The clean streets and elegant buildings of the capital disappeared behind us, replaced by cracked roads, abandoned apartments, flickering street lamps, graffiti-covered walls, and people who instinctively sized up every stranger that walked by.
It was the kind of place respectable citizens avoided.
The kind of place where even the guards preferred not to patrol unless absolutely necessary.
Naturally...
This was exactly where I needed to be.
"My Lady."
Before I could take another step, Gawain grabbed the back of my shirt and stopped me.
I looked back. "What?"
"Why are we here?"
"We're here for business."
I casually stepped sideways out of his reach and continued walking.
I made it exactly three steps.
Then Gawain appeared in front of me again like an overprotective traffic cone.
"My Lady."
"What?"
"This place is dangerous."
I looked around.
