New World

28 | Return to The Shadow Market

Just a quick note to say thank you all for reading this far and for voting. It honestly means a lot x
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Lila had just sat down on her bed to braid her hair when a knock from the other side of the bedroom door resonated through the room.

She dropped her hairbrush onto the bed and stood, swinging the door open.

Ty and Kit stood side-by-side opposite her, Ty's hair curled and damp while Kit stood with his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"We're going to the Shadow Market," announced Ty.

Lila raised her eyebrows and glanced from her brother to Kit. "What for?"

"The catalyst for the spell, remember?"

Recognition passed Lila's features. "Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Just let me grab a jacket."

She left the bedroom door open as she rummaged through her bag, grabbing a dark blue denim jacket she'd stolen from Livvy months earlier. It still smelt of Livvy's perfume and it caused a pang of emotion to cross over her chest. She shrugged it on before she left with Ty and Kit.

"How are we going to get to the Shadow Market?" She asked as they walked down the road.

"Uber," Said Kit.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Uber," He said again. "It's like a cab service."

She frowned. "Why? Why don't we just get a cab?"

"Uber is easier," Kit replied. He looked at her with a tiny frown. She seemed very different to when they were in the infirmary in London, and when they stole a pack of biscuits from the kitchen in London at midnight and they'd ran away snickering with Bridget nearly shouting at them.

The Uber came minutes after Kit called, and Lila realised she didn't bring money. She looked to Kit, who held up a few notes for her to see. "Got it covered," he told her and Ty.

Ty had given Kit runes on the way to the Market, a Talent one to make him more persuasive, Night Vision, and Agility.

Kit and Ty had dressed as mundanely casual as they could in jeans and zipped jackets along with Frye boots. Lila wore her usual casual attire of Livvy's jacket, her black leggings and she'd ditched her boots for black Vans.

Despite dressing casual enough, Ty and Lila still looked like Shadowhunters. Ty's runes were visible on his hand and neck, Lila's were visible on her collarbone and her right hand. Their Shadowhunter-ness was shown from the way they held themselves, the way the walked so confidently like nothing in the world would ever hurt them. Ty had bruises all along his hands, and Lila made a mental note to ask him about it later.

"I don't see any gates," said Ty, craning his neck to look for them.

"They're more metaphorical," Kit said. "Not exactly real."

They walked toward the Shadow Market. In the distance Lila could see the booths where potions and charms were sold.

There was a phouka standing against a streetlight smoking a cigarette. He was tall, dark and thin. His hair was braided with strands of gold and bronze and he wore purple trousers and no shoes.

"Gatekeeper," Kit said to him. "We request entrance to the Shadow Market."

"Kit Rook," the phouka said. "What an honour it is to be recognised by one who left us for the angels."

"He knows you," muttered Ty.

"Everyone in the Shadow Market knows me," Kit replied. Lila raised an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms over her chest.