Page 162 of Cruel Devotion

Lei spoke behind me. “When you visited Paradise City, did you ever go to the East?”

“Never. I've only seen the West and South.”

“Good. I wanted to be the one to show you, my home.”

The helicopter hummed steadily as we headed to the East of Paradise City. The rhythmic beat of its rotors synced with the pulsating excitement in my heart.

And soon a panoramic view of the city unfolded before me.

Damn.

From this aerial vantage point, the division of Paradise City by color was strikingly apparent, almost as if an artist had taken a brush to the urban landscape.

To the North, a sea of yellow buildings sprawled out like fields of sunflowers under the sun. Most of the structures held golden hues.

I turned my gaze to the West.

Bold and passionate red buildings greeted me, ranging from deep burgundies to bright scarlets.

The helicopter veered a little bit South.

The landscape transformed again to the green that I always knew to be my cousin's part of town. It was a mosaic of emeralds and limes.

Then, the imposing buildings of green gave way to softer, more calming shades of blue where the East City's skyline began to emerge in the distance.

I moved closer to the window. “Wow. So beautiful.”

It was like gazing into a vast ocean, the buildings rippling in different shades of azure, cerulean, and sapphire.

Lei pointed. “This is the entrance.”

From this height, the world seemed different, almost dreamlike, but nothing had prepared me for the sight that greeted us as we approached the heart of the Eastern district.

“Oh my God.”

The gates marking the entrance were these grand towering, majestic dragons. Sculpted in gold and blue they glittered in the sunlight. Their scales were perfectly detailed.

Shimmering sapphires made up the eyes. And their dragons’ bodies coiled around the pillars of the gate, powerful and graceful as if they were guarding the East.

“My father believes in the power of symbols.” Lei sighed. “Although he got along with everyone in the Syndicate, he still had these dragons placed here to send a clear message to them.”

I turned to Lei. “And what was the message?”

“That the East is under the watchful eyes of protectors, powerful and unyielding.”

The helicopter hovered closer, allowing me a better view of them.

Lei's voice grew softer. “When I was a kid, I was always fascinated by dragons—creatures that were fierce, but also wise.”

I listened, utterly captivated by Lei's story and the glimpse it offered into his mind.

“Anyway.” He cleared his throat. “These dragons are also a warning to those who might come with ill intentions. They symbolize that we are always vigilant, always ready to defend what is ours.”

As the helicopter began its descent, the dragons seemed to come alive, their sapphire eyes gleaming with an intensity that was almost lifelike.

I tensed. “That's why they look like they're about to gobble us up.”

“That's why.”

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