“It’s just.” He breathed in and let out another deep sigh. Kyrill looked to the ground, his boots caked with layers of filth.
“But what are we gonna do? Kill ‘em and take the dogs?” “I know,” he said, his eyes filled with understanding. Moswen reached out and touched Kyrill’s arm. The abuse they likely suffered in order to be pushed to this point, it made him sick. But knowing that made it that much worse. Yet here these people were, ready to watch with glee as two were being goaded into tearing each other apart, not stopping until one laid dead before the other. Not long ago Kyrill had high hopes of bonding with a dog, saving one from a dangerous situation and gaining a companion for life. He’d never seen dogfighting before, but he was aware of the practice. Kyrill’s stomach twisted and turned as he realized what was going on. Down one alley, a group gathered around what sounded like two angry, snarling dogs while a lanky sapling of a man stood above the crowd and took bets. They continued walking, taking in the sights. Brushing her off like that couldn’t help. While it might be a bit early for Aoife to be in the know about certain things, he still wanted to make her feel like part of the group, to feel comfortable even if she had just joined them. “Oh, nothing, just an inside joke.” He regretted saying the words immediately. Regardless, it wasn’t his decision to make. He wasn’t sure if Aoife should know about Neera, at least not yet. “What are you two giggling like a couple of schoolgirls about?” “Tempting, but that wouldn’t be very fair to him, now would it?” he joked as he ruffled the girl’s hair. The two burst into fits of muffled laughter. “You think I should try my luck?” she asked. He’d seen it on the faces of Omar and his friends so many times before that he was surprised he didn’t immediately recognize it. It was the kind of smile that seemed friendly, but hid a sinister delight just under the surface. Kyrill looked back at the man, a big welcoming smile across his face. He bent down and she cupped her hands to whisper into his ear. Neera gently grabbed Kyrill’s wrist and beckoned him down to her level. Of all the places to trick people into trying their luck to strike it rich, why do it in the place where everyone already is? Maybe he was biased from living in a barren so unlike Rotwater or Rah’qet, but some things just never made much sense to Kyrill. He put a single steel ball bearing no bigger than a marble under one and quickly shuffled them around, hoping to deceive would-be gamblers. Things quickly started to remind him less of Shaded Seed and more like the Outer Ring of Rah’qet during the day time, just dirtier.Īlong one street, a man sat behind a table with three cups sitting upside down in front of him. The entire place felt like a dirty bazaar, a giant flea market where everything you could possibly want was for sale somewhere amongst the ruckus and muck. The crowds grew more and more dense the closer they got to the center of the barren. He couldn’t help but question the state of the food. It all smelled so good, but every inch of every surface looked horribly unsanitary. Fresh-baked breads hollowed out to hold sizzling mixtures of meats, skewers of more exotic and strange-looking fruits and vegetables, tables cutting up and frying battered fish: it was a veritable food market around every corner. Kyrill was especially interested in those preparing and selling street food. Every street was lined with stalls and vendors peddling their wares. They splashed their way through streets filled with people carrying boxes and pulling carts, pushed through crowds of traders and people looking to spend their newly earned riches. Or the knowledge that any attempt to deal with the mud was futile at best. Rotwater felt similar, though Kyrill knew it had nothing to do with the elevation of the natural world. They found ways to work within the limitations of their natural surroundings, elevating it instead of tearing it down for ease of construction. Where the streets of Rah’qet had been cleared and flattened into unnaturally even terrain, Shaded Seed saw value in minimizing their impact on their surroundings. It kind of reminded him of Shaded Seed in a way. Giant buildings loomed from above as they made their way through the still mud-filled streets. The five of them left the labor camp, heading towards the heart of the barren, leaving the tents and makeshift shacks behind them. Isha hadn’t exactly been Aoife’s biggest cheerleader since she joined the group, but it seemed like her outburst had earned her some points. Kyrill was surprised by the warmth behind the words. “You’re welcome, Aoife,” Kyrill said with a smile. Might’ve done the same myself if you hadn’t beat me to the punch.” “Sorry for the sudden outburst back there,” Aoife said, slightly embarrassed.
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