Enchained (Enchained Trilogy book 1)

Chapter 16 Commandant Paq

The sun hangs low in the sky, casting long, pale red shadows on the faces surrounding me, as our convoy speeds down the road toward our destination. The gate of the second outpost looms ahead of us, growing larger with each passing second, as the engines hum around us, drowning any extraneous sounds, not even allowing the soft roar of the wind or calls of the wild animals to reach us. I clutch my bag tighter, digging it into my lap, wary of what lies ahead and what I will find. The disastrous visit to the first outpost left a bad aftertaste in all our mouths and I hope that this one is better, considering the foul mood Commander Vye is in; we need something that will lift our spirits and let us know that Arel is well-protected. Both outposts are far away from Arel though; is it possible that each one regards itself according to its own set of rules?

Our convoy slows down, but jerks and speeds up again just as the front gate opens, allowing us passage. I stare out the window, taking in every detail, including the indentation in the gate, giving it a pockmarked look when the sun's light strikes it at a certain angle. One quick glance at the other passengers in the vehicle and I learn that I am not the only one interested in this new outpost: the plebeian is too. The moment we pass through the entrance, shouts ring out and sentries race toward us, their weapons raised and ready to fire if we prove to be a threat. Our transports ease to a halt, but no one makes any effort to exit the vehicles as the armed sentries surround us, aiming their weapons at us, and I squirm just a little, wondering if I have committed some sort of infraction to warrant such a welcome.

"Hands up!" shouts one of the sentries.

We all raise our hands. This is a far different greeting compared to the blasé one we had received at the first outpost.

"Papers!"

Commander Vye maintains a calm demeanor as she unrolls the window and hands the man a rectangular disc, no thicker than a sliver of wood. He snatches it from her hand, receiving a glare in response, and sticks it in the tablet he keeps in his side pocket, scans through the files, grunts, and hands the disk back to her, after which, he scans her bracelet. A harsh rap on my window disrupts my observance of the proceedings and another sentry stands there, motioning for me to roll down my window. I obey. Before the glass has a chance to open all the way, he reaches in, seizes my wrist with my bracelet on it and scans it, having moved on to the next passenger while my mind still reels with what has just happened.

"Commander Vye," says a baritone voice, "I was not expecting you until tomorrow. I apologize for the harsh welcome, but your sudden arrival surprised us all."

"Yes, well, our time at the other outpost did not go as planned, so we continued on here," she answers, while stepping out of the transport and I do the same, rather than wait for orders. "l hope that we are not inconveniencing you."

"Not at all. The unexpected keeps one sharp."

"Commandant Paq,"—Commander Vye holds her hand out to me and I close the distance between us—"this is Arbiter Noni, the newest arbiter in the eastern sector."

And her charge, not that she needs to say it. The expression on Commandant Paq's face conveys that he knows full well what she means.

"Welcome to Stryd, at least that is what we call the outpost around here."

The sentries back away from us, creating a path for us to walk through, as Commander Vye and I follow Commandant Paq. Some venture off and go back to their duties, while others remain, keeping watchful eyes on us, and the feeling that I am in a prison wafts over me, something I have never experienced before; but with each step, I sense that eyes watch me, waiting for me to make the wrong move, something the armed guards along the wall convey quite well as they watch us through the visors of their helmets, while also keeping vigilance on the land outside the wall.