direction of random passers-by.
Amidst the crowd and the mass of goods, it was hard to focus one’s gaze on anything. Everything was constantly shifting position, so Draco tried to soak up the unique atmosphere while he could. He didn’t think he’d be back here any time soon, and certainly not without a reason. The chaos and the crowd were exhausting even when one knew how to navigate them.
It took them quite a while to reach the first warehouses. As they walked along the row of tenement houses, there was little to see, and even fewer things to look at more closely. When suddenly the unbroken wall of buildings gave way and a line of carts cut across their path, Draco was taken aback. However, they did not change direction and, weaving between the carts, reached the other side of the designated route. It was quieter here. The entire coastal area, from the wall of the thirty-metre tower right to the edge of the dry land, was partitioned off by a palisade that looked brand new. Roughly halfway along it was a gap wide enough for four carts, through which the City Watch was letting the next lorries through. Behind the barrier, there was relative calm. Only the carts continued to glide lazily towards their destinations, and the few pedestrians went their own way, paying no attention to anything.
The tower on the right turned out to be part of a larger structure. Further on, towards the city, a low wall branched off from it, enclosing a large area divided into passages just wide enough for a single wagon. There, the wagons heading towards Atlantis split up in an orderly fashion and waited to be inspected by city officials. Watchmen stationed on raised platforms kept a close watch on everything. There was only one exit from the square, which was blocked by officials dressed in purple uniforms. It was impossible to enter the city without presenting stamped documents confirming payment of customs duties.
In addition to the customs control centre, slightly behind the tower, a single-storey building with tall
