We waited for the evening storm to pass, leaving the streets empty and smelling vaguely of something akin to sulfur. With Kota watching me, I triggered my glamor, offering us some small safety from casual observers.
Habros carried Kota’s bag as we ducked out the back door of the shop, through the largely depleted garden, and into an alley that ran between what was left of two large buildings. Near the end of that alley, we paused, listening to the stillness of the occupied city, making sure there were no passing patrols before moving out onto the street.
Like it was the night my mother and I arrived, the skies were strange, the moons hidden behind dark smudges of clouds that seemed to sit on top of the city. We kept to the shadows, inching our way between abandoned vehicles and partially
