Gaius and Cleo got together to try to think of a way to cheer up their friend. Now that they knew that Corentin had mind magic -- something Maddie had let slip -- they were back at their little alcove in the greenhouse.

Several plans had been thought of and rejected when Cleo came up with what might have been the stupidest plan of all.

“We haven't seen the city since we've been here. Maybe Maddy would enjoy a walk around the city. All we've seen are in Academy’s grounds and while they are impressive, I'm sure they pale in comparison to the wonders of the famed city of Ys.”

“That seems more like something we would like. Maddie’s a small-town girl. She probably isn't itching to see a big city. Plus, she's seen the Temple and those trips never went well. And then there's a crazy man threatening to kill all of us. I doubt she'd feel safe out in the open like that.”

Cleo sat for a moment, biting her lip as she thought of a response.

“About that man, Tereus, do you...do you think that Maddie is telling the truth?”

“She's my friend and I trust her. Plus, she was definitely scared of something. And I don't think she'd make up a man walking around the city.”

“Oh...I definitely believe that he exists and that he's been talking to her. And I believe he said something to her that made her very frightened. But, well, something about her story doesn't add up. I'm not sure why he would threaten us if Maddie used her magic. I think she's keeping something, that there is some detail of the story that she's changed. And I think it has to do with threatening our lives.”

“That's a big supposition. And a big risk to take. What if you're wrong?”

“First of all, I am rarely wrong. Second, do you think that her story makes sense?”

Gaius had to think about that. “You're right. It doesn't exactly make sense. But do you want to risk it?”

“Actually...It do. The Druids can provide security I'm sure and if Maddie doesn't enjoy it we can always come back. We will avoid the Temple, however.”

The next day before the start of classes, Gaius and Cleo talked to Corentin about their idea. He agreed to arrange for protection for the group ! and to act as their guide. Cleo smiled when she .

remembered Corentin's jovial -- if quick -- tour through the city that first day. Thinking about that Corentin versus the Corentin that stood before her made her a little sad. He had been so jolly and carefree. Now he looked drawn and serious. She hoped that it would be the jolly Corentin that took them around the city.

They talked to Maddie at lunch. She had been withdrawing again, paying more attention to the voices in her head than to life outside. Cleo meant to change that.

“I don't know. It sounds scary,” she said to Cleo, “And dangerous,” she added, remembering her story.”

“We've talked to Corentin and he agreed that it's a good idea. The best warriors will provide protection and he will personally take us around the city.”

Maddie thought about it for a while.Alright. I suppose it could be fun.”

That afternoon the quartet left the Academy grounds to explore the famed wonders of the legendary city of Ys. As they had first noticed, the city was set up like the points of a compass with the palace opposite the gates and the Temple opposite the Academy. To Cleo’s delight, Corentin had regained much of his earlier joviality. He pointed out the sights of the city, in a much more thorough way than last time. Rather than a trot, their pace this time was a stroll.

Maddie began the journey in her own head, barely paying attention to her surroundings. But a few minutes walk outside the walls of the Academy, she began to look up at the points of interest that Corentin pointed out.

The two main roads -- Maddie supposed they would be called streets, or avenues, or some other word that you only found in cities -- didn't intersect in a cross pattern as she had originally thought. Instead there was a central area, much like the way the Academy’s main hall was set up. Around the center was a curved street that joined up with the two main streets. Corentin called the large streets boulevards. As they walked toward the center, Maddie's breath was taken away when she saw the center of the city.

The entire center was taken up by a large market. Like most things in Ys it was formed of concentric circles. At the outside were small stalls, many covered with colorful tarps. Behind them the buildings started. In contrast to the very strict, very orderly building laws of the rest of the city, the merchants’ circle was a mishmash of different styles. One-story buildings seem to have been turned into two- and sometimes three-story ones. Some of these additions leaned forward precariously. Maddie saw a building leaning at such an extreme angle that it touched the building across the street and they seem to have been joined into one. A few other building had top floors that covered the street and there were walkways everywhere. It seemed entirely possible to walk through the merchants’ circle without setting foot on the ground. In fact, it was entirely possible.

“The Merchants’ Circle was built quite a few years after the rest of the city, as you can surmise. While King Gralon oversaw the development of most of the city, he let the merchants run a bit...wild.”

Seeing the children's fascination, Corentin let them explore the circle to their hearts’ content. He did glance up at the roofline, reassured to see a flash of red.

Every type of item was on display. Spices from the East, diamonds from Visnagar, steam-powered toys from Alexandria, even books. Cleo practically drooled over the books. If they had been unaccompanied she might have been tempted to buy some in secret and smuggle them into school but looking over at Corentin she quashed that notion. Seeing the conflict written on her face made Corentin laugh.

The steam-powered whirligigs made them all smile. Maddie was just in awe. Gaius wanted to take one apart and see how it worked. Cleo was just happy to see something from home that had always made her smile and laugh as a child. The man selling them was good, too. He demonstrated all the features of the toys while laughing joyfully and giving a over-the-top sales pitch. The gang watched several people purchase probably more than they wanted. Cleo helped a bit by pointing out various features and telling Gaius a little bit about how the mechanism worked, as she had one as a child.

They explored the market for a few hours, reveling in the wonders from all over the world. Cleo, Gaius, and even Corentin kept an eye on Maddie to make sure that she was sufficiently distracted.

After they had spent time in the market, they walked on the see the rest of the city. Cleo and Maddie were linked arm in arm as the left, with Gaius catching up behind them and Corentin in front, talking even though nobody was ready to listen. As Gaius started to catch up, Cleo reached back and grabbed his arm, then linked hers with his. In that way the trio toured the rest of the city.

After the market they headed toward the palace. The Palace was a marvel of architecture. Its towers soared above the city, thin spires that were the tallest structures on the island. In contrast to the light grey stone of the Academy, the Palace was built of dark basalt, with accents and carvings of onyx. The huge palace gates were open and laid back against a thick semicircular wall. The palace's towers swirled like the horn of a narwhal and the entire feel of the building evoked the sea. Corentin checked the sky and led the children up a huge staircase that wound around the palace wall.

“I'm about to show you the most magnificent site in all of Ys.”

At the top of the staircase was a balcony that looked out over the city walls. It was high tide and the water broke against the top of the walls. It was terrifying to see, as each time the waves hammered it looked as if they would overwhelm the structure and spill into the city.

“That's terrifying,” Gaius whispered, instinctively taking a step back, “What keeps it from coming over the wall?”

“A series of sluices and gates. They lower at high tide and open again at low tide to let ships leave the city.”

As he said that, the children noticed a great port beneath them. It was enclosed in another semicircular wall. There was enough water to keep the ships afloat, but the walls towered above their masts.

“The say that only King Gralon has the key, and that he uses it twice a day to open and close the gates.”

Gaius looked at him. “Such a thing must surely be automated.”

Corentin chuckled. “Probably. But they say that the king oversees it personally, and wears the key around his neck at all times.”

Gaius tried to scoff, but the sound was lost in the awesome power of the waves.

“What happens if the gates open at high tide?” Cleo asked.

“That's easy. The water would start to fill the city and we'd all have to swim around everywhere,” Gaius said, proud of his knowledge of engineering.

“Corentin, can we go back now? I...don't really like being up so high,” Maddie said meekly.

After one last look at the sea, they headed back down the steps.