Shadow Seer [18+]

~ Thirty Eight ~

Amir's eyes flickered toward the posters, his expression unreadable.

"No," he finally said. "I'm wanted. It's only a picture of me."

Sanaa pointed to the words below. Alongside the fifty thousand gold pieces, it described that Amir would be with a woman of similar age, her face likely covered. A scowl graced Amir's face once he'd read it but without a word he guided Sanaa down a quieter street, away from the prying eyes of the city's inhabitants. As they weaved through back alleys towards the city centre and onto the docks, Sanaa couldn't shake the unease that settled in her stomach, threatening to burst out of her at any moment.

They travelled as swiftly within the limited shadows a they could but their anonymity proved short-lived. The narrow streets finally opened into the bustling main square, where a sea of people ebbed and flowed like the shifting sands of the surrounding desert. Slowly, Sanaa felt the weight of countless eyes fall upon them, and her heart quickened. The posters had done their work and recognition spread like wildfire through the crowd the faster they tried to walk. Even with their face coverings - Amir had lifted his - they were new faces in a city that had largely the same occupants. Anyone who took the time to look, could tell they were not locals even with the presence of travelling foreigners.

Harsh panic set in as Sanaa and Amir found themselves increasingly surrounded by a growing throng of onlookers. Questioning whispers turned into calculating staring and soon the air crackled with tension as people began signalling to their neighbours.

Amir, sensing the impending danger, turned to Sanaa with a reassuring glance. His eyes, a glorious green, held a silent promise that he would keep her safe.

"Stay close to me."

Sanaa nodded and in the next moment, Amir raised his hands and let his shadows loose. They danced and twisted, enveloping them in an almost ethereal cloak. Sanaa watched in fascination as the onlookers became confused, looking around for them when they hadn't moved.

"What did you do?" she whispered as Amir began to move her through the crowd."I'm using the shadows as cover," he whispered back as they moved.

"But... how?" Sanaa felt the cool touch of darkness, a stark contrast to the searing desert sun.

"With much difficulty," he replied and she heard the strain in his voice. She had always thought that Amir used his magic effortlessly but always forgot how the sun affected him. The sun weakened his magic so they had to move quickly. Sanaa kept quiet from then on as he moved them through the crowd. Amir manipulated the shadows to get them out of the crowd unseen, using his own shadows as well as small pockets of surrounding darkness to add to them. Emotion surged within Sanaa—a blend of fear and admiration for the man who wielded the shadows to protect them. As they navigated through the thinning crowd, she clung to Amir, relying on his abilities to guide them to safety, towards hidden escapes where shadows dwelled.

Keeping as stealthily as they could, Amir directed them back to the inn. They arrived, desperate to get some of their things but found a hoard of city guards in the entrance.

"Fuck!" Amir hissed under his breath as they watched the guards speaking to the inn keeper. Interrogating him looked more accurate and Amir knew he would hand the him to save himself any trouble.

"What do we do now?" Sanaa asked, more to herself than actually looking for an answer.

"The plan remains the same. We have to get out of here but..."

"But what?"

Amir sighed, "I can get us out of here but it would be harder to do it now without killing them, we can't let them live."