The city of Meridoss never truly slept.
Even as the sun began its descent toward the western horizon, the canals remained bustling with small boats carrying silk, spices, and crystals from every corner of the Emerald Union. Stone bridges, arching gracefully over the water, were packed with merchants hawking their wares at the top of their lungs. One by one, oil lanterns were lit along the banks, their glow reflecting off the rhythmic ripples of the water.
The black SUV carrying Rumina and her entourage pulled up in front of a grand inn—a three-story red-brick building adorned with wrought-iron balconies overflowing with hanging flowers. A golden sign above the door shimmered in the late afternoon light, inscribed with the name: The Gilded Swan.
