Chapter 2: Pearl City
1333 Words
Pearl City was the heart of the kingdom, where the wealthiest wolves came to shop, dine, drink and forget that ordinary people existed. There were shops everywhere. Jewelry stores, perfume houses, taverns. Anything a person’s heart could possibly desire. I stared at everything with wide eyes. I’d never seen so many people in one place. I’d barely made it through the gates before I decided I was going to try everything. Well…Almost everything. I only had a few coins.But there was one thing I had been dreaming about for years.
Pomegranate pie.
Alexa never let me have one. Whenever Mother bought pastries for the family, Alexa would take mine before I could even touch it. I stopped outside a small pastry shop, staring through the glass at a beautiful golden pie sprinkled with ruby-red pomegranate seeds. My mouth watered as I pushed open the door.
A large bronze-skinned man stood behind the counter. He was bald, round and smiling.
“Greetings,” I said politely. “Please, how much is the pomegranate pie?”
He looked at me. His eyebrows rose.
“Good heavens.” He said. I touched my hair self-consciously. “What?”
“I’ve never seen a face like yours before.” My cheeks warmed. He squinted at me. “Strange beauty.” I almost covered my face. “Is that a compliment?” He chuckled.
“Perhaps.”
Then he pointed toward the pie.
“Thirty pilfers.”
My smile disappeared.
“Thirty?”
I reached into my pocket and counted my coins.
Twenty…I stared at them as my shoulders sank. “Things are expensive.” I muttered. The baker laughed.
I forced a smile.
“I’m sorry. I’ll come back another time.”l I turned toward the door. I could wait a little longer I thought.
I had barely stepped outside when—
Thud!
Someone slammed into me.
“Ouch!”
I hit the ground hard, my head struck the pavement. Before I could even understand what had happened, a man’s hand grabbed my wrist.
“Quick.”
I looked up, a stranger wearing dark clothes, disheveled hair and the most striking golden eyes I’d ever seen.
“We have to go!”
“What?”
He pulled me upright.
“Now!”
“Wait—my dress!”
He dragged me down a narrow alley.
“My dress!”
“Keep moving.”
“My only dress!”
“I’m sorry.”
We stopped behind a building, both of us were breathing heavily. Then I heard it.Boots, a lot of them. “Search the eastern street!” A voice echoed through the alley. “Find him!” My eyes widened. I looked at the stranger. Then at the guards rushing past the entrance. I slowly turned back to him.
“First of all…”
I held my throbbing head.
“What was that?!”
He opened his mouth but I raised a finger.
“Second, you ruined my only dress!” I yelled with so much pain in my voice. His eyes dropped to the dirt covering my clothes.He winced. “And third…”. I narrowed my eyes.
“Are you a thief? A kidnapper?… a murderer maybe?”
“No” He simply responded. “Then you be a very strange man!”
He sighed.
“Definitely.” He responded with a whisper. I opened my mouth again.
“Shh.”
He placed a finger against his lips.
Then—when I tried to speak, he gently covered my mouth. His golden eyes locked onto mine.
“Easy, little tiger.”A low growl rumbled beneath his words.
I froze.
There was something strange about him. Something that made every instinct in my body tell me to be careful. Yet somehow…I wasn’t afraid. He slowly removed his hand.
“I apologize for dragging you into this.”
“You should.”
“I’ll explain everything.”
“Good.”
“But not here.” He glanced toward the street.
“I need to change these clothes.”
I looked him up and down and folded my arms.
“Why should I help you?” I snapped. He stared at me for a moment. “You shouldn’t. “
I blinked. “Then why are you asking?”
“Because I’m desperate.”
That answer caught me off guard.
He reached into his pocket.
“I’ll pay you.”
“How much?”
“Enough.”
“That’s not a number.”
He almost smiled.
“Fine. I’ll buy you a new dress.” He added. I immediately looked down at mine. It was ruined. “And?” I responded. He sighed. “Some money.”
“How many?”
“Ten.”
“Twenty.”
“You’re negotiating with a wanted man?”
“I don’t know if you’re wanted.” He stared at me, but I stared back. Finally, he laughed.
“Fine. Twenty.”
I smiled.
“And?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“And what?” He added.
I pointed toward the pastry shop.
“Pomegranate pie.”
He stared at me again. His expression became completely blank.
“Pomegranate pie?”
“Yes.”
“You nearly broke your neck, I dragged you into an alley…
“Will I have my pie or not?” I snapped back.
He stared at me for several seconds. Then shook his head.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Is that a yes?”
He sighed.
“Fine.”
My face lit up.
“Really?”
“Yes. A pomegranate pie.” He said, rolling his eyes.
I smiled.
“Then we have a deal.”
He looked at me strangely. “Wait here. I turned toward the market.
“Where are you going?”
“To get you clothes.”
“You’re trusting me?” He said. I looked over my shoulder.
“You’re the one who needs help.” I answered plainly.
—————————————————————
A few moments later, I returned with a bundle of clothes from the flea market. They weren’t pretty, but they were the largest ones I could find. After the way I’d been hit earlier, I was sure I was hit by a bear. And, of course, I had my pomegranate pie. I held it up proudly.
“Here.”
He took the clothes.
“Change quickly.”
I sat down and immediately started eating my pie.
He stared at me.
“Do you mind?”
I looked up.
“Oh. Sorry.”
I turned away.
Then smirked.
“Didn’t know you were shy.”
He laughed.
“You wouldn’t be able to handle all this. Trust me.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I bet it’s really tiny.”
He laughed harder.
“Very tiny,” I added.
“Now you’ve made me want to prove you wrong.”
“No, you don’t have to.”
I took another bite.
“I believe you.”
He shook his head, still laughing.
“Done.”
He stepped out in his ridiculously ordinary clothes. “Come with me.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the alley.
When we stepped out of the alley, I finally got a proper look at him. He was handsome. No—ridiculously handsome. Tall, broad shoulders. Well-built. Golden eyes with dark shadows beneath them. He looked at me and grinned.
“Since we’re out, why don’t you show me around?” I stared at him.
“Weren’t you a wanted man?”
“Believe me, these clothes hide a lot.” He said, glancing at my dress.
“Unless you have somewhere else to be.”
I shook my head.
“No. I ran away from where I was just to come here.”
He studied me for a moment and let out a grin.
“Then let’s have some fun, shall we?”
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