THE MARK OF ELDOREM: Rise Of Eldorians(Book One)

CHAPTER EIGHT: Rinala

I watched as my best friend, Ketrah, deftly slipped two mangoes under her shirt while the fruit vendor was busy fetching change. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and she flashed the woman a bright smile as she returned and handed her a dollar.

"Here you go, child. That's all I can give you for now. I would have given you some mangoes, but I've already calculated my profits and need them for my child's school fees. I hope you and your friend can find something to eat with this," the vendor said, returning Ketrah's smile with a nod.

"Thank you, ma'am," Ketrah said, discreetly passing me a mango while preparing to distract the woman. "Excuse me, ma'am, I know it might be a bit rude to ask, but could you please give us change for the dollar? It would be easier to save some money if we had it in smaller bills," she finished, batting her eyelashes.

"Aww, no problem at all. Let me see if I have any change," the robust woman said, rummaging through her apron.

As soon as Ketrah nudged me, we bolted. My heart pounded in my chest as the fruit vendor's shouts for help echoed behind us, growing fainter but still persistent.

"Run faster, Rin!" Ketrah shouted, leaping over a shopping bag.

"I'm trying! Not everyone is as athletic as you!" I called back, struggling to keep up.

We weaved through the market, apologizing to startled farmers and shoppers as we sprinted down the dusty road. But our escape route abruptly ended as we found ourselves in a cul-de-sac. Two men with guns blocked our way—members of a street gang Ketrah had crossed paths with before.

"Shit!" Ketrah cursed under her breath.

Our eyes locked, and I knew what she expected of me, but I wasn't sure of myself. The weight of the situation made me doubt my resolve. I shook my head, giving her an apologetic look. She sighed, raising her hands in surrender.

"It's me you want. Let my friend go," she said firmly.

"Ketrah-" I started, but she cut me off.

"Stay out of this, Rin," she said, stepping forward. "Okay, boys, here's the thing. I said the ring was gold, but I never said anything about it being genuine. Your boss wanted something with an ancient, gold aesthetic, and that's exactly what I sold him," she finished, shrugging with her hands still up.

One of the men lowered his gun slightly, his expression shifting from anger to contemplation. He turned to his partner.

"Actually, she has a point. Maybe the boss is being too hasty," he said.

The other man, who was noticeably more aggressive, slapped his partner on the back of his head. "Wake up! She's trying to charm you. I told you to wear the damn earplugs, but you thought you knew better. Now look at you," he scolded, his partner hanging his head in embarrassment.

A smirk played on Ketrah's lips as she continued. "Oh, so you're the smart one. Why don't we-"

"Shut it!" the aggressive one shouted, cutting her off. "Shut it or I'll blow your head off right here and now."

"And what will you tell your boss happened to his precious hostage?" Ketrah challenged, her smile unwavering.

I cringed as the aggressive man, whom I mentally dubbed Baldy, sneered and gave a sharp command. "Just shut up and turn around. You too," he said, gesturing at me with his gun.

I flinched and turned around, my heart sinking. Then came a sudden, jarring thud. I looked back in time to see Ketrah collapse, a stunned look on her face as Baldy struck her with the butt of his gun.

"Turn around, or else!" Baldy barked, his voice cold and menacing.

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at Ketrah, unconscious on the ground. How on earth was I supposed to get us out of this?