Balam: Virgo the Pure (Trials of the Zodiac Book 2)

FRIENDS AMONG THE DUNES

BALAM

We arrived a half hour after we started our run. Our shirts were wet with sweat from the sweltering heat that beat down upon us despite the early hour. Seeking a respite, we found ourselves at a quaint cafe. Kai chose a refreshing cup of black tea, while Jalen and I decided coffee was the best way to refresh ourselves.

"So, what's our next move?" Jalen inquired, his tone briefly reverting to the one he used when we had first met. I couldn't help but notice his growing confidence, a welcome change. There was no longer a sense of caution in his tone as he addressed people and had a bounce to his walk.

I took in the cafe's atmosphere. It was filled with older patrons, and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee infused the air, blending harmoniously with their morning conversations. Everyone seemed happy because their lives had not changed. Even with demons spotted not too far from here, they went about their lives as if nothing happened.

The cafe's decor had a quant rustic charm. A mismatch of traditional furnishings and ornaments decorated the room. Wooden chairs were arranged in cozy clusters around small tables. There was an unmistakable aura of a family-run business. Framed photographs of loved ones and family members adorned the walls. Many of these images seemed to belong to a time before the war, capturing a piece of history.

"We could try asking around," I suggested between a sip of my coffee.

Occupied with sticky date cakes, Kai said, "I haven't spoken Arabic in 200 years. I doubt I can keep up a conversation now."

"I never learned it. I haven't been in this region since the battle with...The Lost One," I confessed. It still felt strange to say his name out loud. Even saying his cover name felt weird.

Jalen cleared his throat, "I'm pretty well-versed in most languages. I'll see who we can talk to." He glanced around the cafe before spotting an elderly lady engrossed in reading on her tablet. Jalen pulled out his phone, queued up to the video of Aries, and mumbled about his battery before standing up to approach her.

The woman he had selected appeared to be in her sixties, radiating an aura of poshness. She was savoring her latte and sporadically tapped her fingers on her tablet. Her dark hair was neatly tied back into a ponytail, and a faint smirk played on her lips, leaving me curious about what she was looking at.

Jalen walked over to the woman; he looked so much different than the people in the café. His short black dreads were pulled into a ponytail and his tight-fitting jeans. She greeted him with a warm smile as Jalen introduced himself and began inquiring about Aries in Arabic.

Engaged and attentive, the woman accepted Jalen's phone and watched the video. Her expression transformed into a smile, and she talked to Jalen at a speed Kai said was hard for him to follow. I noticed the few other people sneaking glances at us, mainly at Kai, whose bulky frame stood out against the older crowd. He had let his hair down and the black strands at his neck.

Although I couldn't understand the conversation, I could see the gratitude on Jalen's face as he thanked the woman and returned to our table. He smiled at us before saying, "She said nobody knows who he is, but she's fairly sure he was a mechanic who worked on her car a month or two ago. She also told me that we should be more careful. She had watched the news and recognized us from the cruise ship video."

Panicking, Kai immediately started searching for the cruise ship video online. A video appeared, showing the intense battle and our use of magic. After a minute, he put the screen down for us to see a video displaying our faces and inhuman capabilities. The ship had remote security, it seemed.

"Shit! Let's get out of here. Did she give you the address?" Kai stood up, giving a courteous nod to the woman, who responded with a raised eyebrow. We thanked her, relieved she hadn't screamed or raised a commotion upon recognizing us.