Page 50 of Queen of Vengeance

Jax spoke up first, “We don’t have anything of the sort. We are simply seeking passage.”

“Wonderful, but I hope you understand we cannot simply take your word for it. I’ll have my men quickly go through your belongings and ensure everything is tip-top. After that, you’ll go to the Federation of Setas.” He explained while pushing open too heavy wooden doors.

Inside of the large room was the Key Portal.

I was amazed at the opulence of the golden gears spinning parallel and adjacent to each other.

A loud whooshing sound echoed through the tall room from the spinning bands of gold.

Every time the golden bands made contact, purple and blue electricity cracked between them.

It must take an immense amount of magic to keep this thing running.

“This is incredible,” I mumbled, but it caught Anno’s ear.

“Indeed it is. This must be your first time seeing a Key Portal in person. It certainly is something to behold!” He turned to admire it as well.

The middle of the portal looked like it held all the stars in the galaxy.

I only wish Mema was here to witness this spectacular site. I was distracted by one of the guards walking up to me and holding out his hand expectantly. I realized he was waiting for me to hand over my bag.

He all but plucked it off of my shoulders.

I watched as the other guards searched Zane and Jax’s bags and then returned them.

“All right. You two can go on ahead.” Anno waved them along.

I looked away from the guard for only a moment to see that Zane stood at the bottom of the steps, looking at me, waiting for me to join them, but Jax turned his back to me and walked up the steps toward the Key Portal. I thought it was strange at the moment.

Why isn’t Jax waiting for me?

“Sir.” The guard called out to Anno, and I turned to see him holding two potion bottles filled with liquid.

“Where did you pull those from?” I looked at the guard with accusation in my eyes.

“Ma’am, this was at the bottom of your pack.” He threw my things on the ground and handed the potion bottles to Anno.

“That’s impossible. I didn’t pack any potions.” I didn’t even recognize what those potions were. I had never made those colors before.

Anno narrowed his eyes at me, and his once joyful smile fell from his face.

I watched in horror as he opened both of them and swirled them around in the bottle, smelling each one.

Anno quickly recapped the bottles and handed them to the guard, covering his nose. “As we suspected, you were trying to transport illegal contraband through my Key Portal. I should have suspected you cretins from Dask are all the same. Guards, seize her!”

I felt the cold metal of the guards' armored gloves bite into my arms as they held me back.

My body began to shift purely out of instinct, but the guards slept heavy metal cuffs on my wrist, which suddenly zapped the power out of me.

Now, as hard as I tried to shift, I couldn’t.

I looked down at the heavy metal handcuffs to see them glowing blue.

Everything around me was moving both fast and slow at the same time.

I couldn’t catch my breath, let alone catch a thought. I was still trying to figure out how those potions ended in my bag. I had never made an illegal potion in my life. I was always so careful…

Zane rushed forward, grabbing Anno and begging him to recheck them. “She would never do something like that! There has to be some kind of misunderstanding.”

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