Chapter 29: Chapter TWENTY NINE

The doors locked and everyone hurried to find a seat as the subway began to pick up speed. Mia had a smile on her face all along the trip, moved to feel half back on Earth. Ethan kept his face impassive, but his eyes scanned the interior of the wagon and the darkness of the tunnel.

"I have to admit, it's ingenious," Ethan admitted, stepping out of the vehicle after the fifteen-minute ride.

"It's almost faster than the subway in my world," Mia commented. "But there are not many stations so maybe that's why. How do people move on the surface?"

The group was heading for the stairs to leave the underground. The crowd seemed to flock to the same place since the subway was almost empty. Irina and Adam walked slowly so as not to lose the young couple among the dozens of individuals leaving the transport station. However, it was almost worse outside since the sidewalks were crowded with individuals who would make up the rally audience in a few moments.

"Some horse-drawn carriages that you see in the street are public, although they are not free. They are mainly used by the inhabitants of the Pupil and the wealthy families of the Fovea, but technically everyone can use them. There are specific boulevards all over the city where horse-drawn carriage owners wait for customers." Irina explained.

A hundred yards later, Mia could see the driveway that followed the river. It was wider than on the other side, and, above all, there were no trees. It was actually more of a huge plaza than just a walkway. Crossing the stream, there was an even larger area to gather the more numerous inhabitants of the Fovea. The whole thing could accommodate thousands of people, but that was not what was most striking.

There were large wooden bridges whose guardrails stretched much higher than the other bridges in the city. Several poles supported with thick cables a circular wooden structure that floated above the river and between the two bridges. On each side of the circle, a tiny bridge allowed only one person at a time to cross to join the stage which could contain about forty people. Small barriers surrounded the structure to prevent falls, which reassured Mia who did not particularly like the idea of ​​walking on wooden planks suspended above the stream. It was water down there, sure, but she'd had her fill of falls for the rest of her life.

"They want us to go up there?" Ethan grimaced. "In front of so many people?"

"What are we supposed to do there especially?" worried the blonde.

"Nothing, it's your presence that counts," Adam replied, guiding them around the bulk of the crowd.

The two large bridges were closed to civilians by several guards posted on either side. Only authorized people and their families could watch the scene from the bridge, away from the crowds. This was exactly where Irina and Liam would stay for the entire gathering. And it was also here that Ellana and Zerkan waited for the young couple before climbing onto the structure to speak to the inhabitants of the city.

"Great, you came," Ellana agreed with a nod in greeting. "Don't worry, you won't need to speak. You will stay next to Adam and the other advisors."

Zerkan and Robert were both talking vigorously just behind Ellana, but they stopped their conversation for a moment to greet the newcomers. They were quickly explained that the gathering was an opportunity to disclose to the people all the information on the decisions concerning the city, whether financial or societal. Today, military issues and war were priority topics, but a summary of decision-making news would still be made before they got to the heart of the matter.

When it was time to take the stage, Mia grabbed her soulmate's arm to give herself courage. She wasn't used to appearing in front of so many people, even if she wasn't asked to speak. A lot of curious looks would still scrutinize their every move during the long minutes that the gathering would last. The people of Callis placed heavy expectations on their shoulders despite themselves by erecting them to the status of a symbol of the Resistance against Ethan's mother. It wasn't about confronting and fighting her. It was just about going to free her friends.

In addition to the military trio that the couple already knew, and Adam on their right, there were a dozen advisers, including Igor the chief wizard engineer whom she recognized immediately. They had been placed so that they had their backs to no area, with Mia and Ethan close to the center and the rest of the individuals present between the young couple and the barriers. Zerkan and Finnegan were behind them for now, with only Ellana standing right in the middle of the platform.

"We meet today to discuss the news regarding our common future, and more specifically the war," Ellana began, her voice amplified by a magic spell. "I know that's what interests you the most, but we'll still proceed with the announcement of the city's decisions first."

For the next fifteen minutes, a succession of councilors marched past to inform the inhabitants of new legislation, recommendations, or delicate points to raise for future debates. Mia was still glued to Ethan and clinging to his arm, though the nervousness of getting on stage faded in favor of boredom since they didn't know enough about town business to understand the announcements and their impact on the future of Callis.

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And they weren't the only ones who were impatient and wanted the meeting to go faster. A hubbub of conversation emanated from the crowds on either side of the river, with locals taking little interest in politics lately. Everyone was eager to know how the war was going and what state the outside world was in.

"Thank you, Councilor Patty," Ellana went on, taking the center seat after the old woman had finished her speech on a proposal to improve the Macula's sewage system, which didn't interest many people today. "Zerkan, Commander of the Sentinels for those who still don't know him, will tell you about the latest events following the declaration of war at the Arena."

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