Washed Away

Chapter 9 - Seeker

Time was really confusing in this world.

First of all, when it was meant to be 1am everybody was still wandering around the city like it was 1pm. Little children around Lena's age scampered around with unlimited amounts of energy whilst I struggled to keep my eyes open.

My body was taking the tolls of my uneven sleeping patterns as I kept on falling to sleep in the middle of conversations with Ky and his family. They seemed to find it hilarious while I felt like crawling into a corner and dying in embarrassment.

Despite all this, Amara kept her promise and took me to the city at 5am. Which, by the way, is considered completely normal here. I couldn't get over how vast the city was, and how it was all contained under just one sand dune. Huts and tents made from animal skins were littered along the streets with merchants yelling out bargains to the wandering passer bys.

“Kapri shells! Half price!”

“The skin of an extremely rare Jirai Rat! 25% off!”

“I have never heard of these animals before.” I told Amara as we pushed through the throng of an immensely large crowd of people. Someone tried to call out a bargain to us as we walked past but Amara pulled me along before I could get a good look at what he was offering to sell.

“Stay close to me.” Amara insisted. “These people will try and rip you off if they get a chance.”

I nodded nervously and tried to not make eye contact with any other merchants we passed. There was a sudden yell up ahead and a group of kids who looked around about Milo's age thundered past, ducking under legs and running off round the street corner. A rather large man with a murderous look in his eyes forced his way through the crowd.

“Someone stop those thieves!” He roared, shoving me roughly aside so I ended up flying and landing in a crumpled heap at someone's feet.

“Hey, are you okay?” The person asked, offering me a hand. I graciously took it and pulled myself off before dusting myself off and looking up at the person. My eyes almost popped out of my head as I stared into two pools of vivid jade.

“Erm...” I spluttered, playing with my hair. The handsome God in front of me gave a quirky smile and swept a hand through his black hair, making it even more messy and attractive. “I'm... fine.”

“Hey! Damon!” A voice shouted from behind us. Amara ran up to him out of nowhere and flung an arm around his neck, grinning at him. “How are you?”

“I am good thank you.” He laughed, snaking his arm around her waist. “Just talking to this lovely lady here.”

“You had better keep your eyes off this one Damon. Someone else has their eye on her.” Amara said, winking at me.

My eyes widened at her comment and an image of Ky and his cute dimple floated into my mind.

Could he...?

“Of course there would be.” Damon sighed. “The pretty ones are always taken.”