The gate opened and I drove on through, but we weren’t on the other side for thirty seconds before a pair of Humvees pulled on both sides of our car. Each was manned by someone holding a machine gun. There was only so much you could do against a pair of fifty-cals pointed at you. It was best to be good little lads about it.
We drove on, the stunning palace growing larger and larger as we approached. An immaculately sculpted garden was on both sides of the road, the green space complete with huge stone fountains and marble sculptures.
We approached another gate, this one gold, with ornate columns of white marble on both sides. A pair of guards opened it slowly, revealing a huge, circular drive in front of the enormous stairs leading up to the double doors of the palace.
A team of five men, all dressed in dark suits, their eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses, stood in front of the stairs. As I drove closer, I could spot the little wire earpieces that clued me in that these lads were almost certainly part of a security detail. The lead guided me to a stop in front of the palace, the stark-white building looming large over us, the sky a perfect blue.
“Out of the car,” he said as I came to a stop, his words coming out in the same vaguely French accent that everyone else in Candara spoke.
“Who’s asking?” Ajax barked.
I groaned. “The bloody king, you shitehead!” I said. “Now’s not the time for a dick measuring contest, laddie!”
The looks on the guards’ faces made it clear they didn’t appreciate Ajax’s insolence. I raised my palms and stepped out of the SUV, the lead guard not moving an inch.
“Morning, lads,” I said, my hands still in the air. “Apologies for my friend—he’s an, ah, anti-authoritarian sort of man.”
The lead guard kept his eyes on me as his companions swooped in on both sides and gave me a very thorough pat-down—one done well enough to find all three of the pistols I carried, along with my combat knife.
“Part of the job,” I said with a shrug. “I’d be an idiot not to be strapped, you know?”
He gave a quick, professional nod as if he understood.
“All the same, tell your men to leave whatever weapons they’re carrying in the car—unless they want to go through the same process.”
I stuck my head into the open door.
“You heard the man, lads! Leave your gear in the back of the car unless you want an inspection of the royal jewels!”
The boys took a few moments to take out their weapons and stick them into the back of the SUV. By the time they were done, there was a small armory piled up back there.
“Now,” the guard said. “You four will come with me. Once inside, you’ll learn the nature of your meeting.”
I glanced back to the lads, but they’d already heard. Once out of the car, the guards gave them a quick, but not quite as thorough pat-down. We were cleared, and soon on our way up the huge, sweeping stairs of the palace. As we got closer to the doors, I could make out the detailed carvings that decorated them, engravings of regal-looking men and women.
Everything about this place screamed money and power. Didn’t matter that Candara was a tiny country that you could’ve tucked into some corner of my native Scotland and never even noticed.
The doors opened slowly, revealing a grand entry hall that was as fancy as the outside of the palace hinted at. The room was round, with a big golden dome over top, light pouring in and making the space seem downright heavenly.
Another team of guards was there and filed in to flank us on one side. The guard from the courtyard spoke as his men flanked us on the other.
“In just a few moments, you are going to be in an audience with King Finn Tamm the Second, Lord Monarch of the Kingdom of Candara.”
“The king, huh?” Ajax asked, his voice low. “Not gonna argue with the red carpet being rolled out for us. We’re fancy like that, right?” He spoke in his gruff, Irish Boston accent, a smirk forming on his face.
“Shut it, Ajax!” Kid said. “I know you’re a damn Yank but meeting a king’s a big deal!”
The guard stood in front of us. It was obvious he wasn’t amused in the slightest by our antics.
“You boys done?” he asked.
I said nothing, nodding for him to continue.
“You will address the king as ‘your majesty’, or ‘your grace.’ You will speak when spoken to. And if you behave in a threatening manner around the king, you will find out just how competent and capable our security detail is. Do you understand?”
We gave our affirmatives.
“Good. Now, come along.”