Page 42 of Scalebound

“We are near the water! We just have to get through this fishermen’s town,”I cheerfully told Belle.

That explained why it got colder. We were closer to the sea.

The town loomed in sight, its silence profound with the muted sensations.

“Have you ever been here?”

“Nope,”Belle quickly replied.

We came into the clear view, passing the remainder of the trees, and entered what looked like a broken and beaten-down town. It looked and felt like no one lived there anymore, lacking life and sound. The streets were barren, without a trace of a single soul.

The town was small, with only ten buildings surrounding a large cobblestone walkway down the center. The homes were different from the ones back in the town that were set to flames. These houses were less sturdy, and malleable to the touch, while the others were built from bricks and stones supported by a wealthy backing.

The small houses resembled shacks, their structures and weathered exteriors crumpled with age. They were built with hay and wood and had wooden stilts, making them sit higher in the air. It made me wonder how many storms they have had for the need to make the houses higher than the water itself. There was nothing on the streets; they were only bare with some trash blowing in the wind. The hay built around them was filthy and not taken care of. I had never seen houses assembled such as these.

The only thing I could hear was the ringing in my ears from the silence, and the slight wind, blowing the golden strands of hay that sat as the roofs, from side to side, in a rhythmic dance.

No one.

The coldness in the air sent shivers down my spine.

“Something doesn’t feel right.”Belle looked at me with her similar golden eyes and agreed. We were both slightly hidden behind a group of trees, but after not seeing anyone, we left the patch of foliage, deciding to make our way to the shore quickly.

“Let’s find the island.”I stepped forward, seeing myself in the town if anyone were to peek from their windows.

The color scheme felt rotten with dirty pastel colors, making everything dull and dead. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but I expected more life from being close to the sea. I had dreamed of seeing the ocean for as long as I could remember but found myself disappointed in the surrounding town, which fueled my excitement.

I stepped carefully, watching each window and alleyway around me. No one could see us. We had to make it past the water to the island. But how? That was why I needed Damian. But I didn’t need him now. Belle and I would be able to figure it out.

It was a ghost town. The streets were made of cobblestone and a dark gray, lifeless sand.

Dead and unnerving.

Mine and Belle’s steps were the only noises. The sounds of our footsteps ricocheted throughout the abandoned town, leading the vibrating clammer straight to us.

Nothing.

We made our way to find the water’s shore, any sign of being closer to the island.

My heart pounded with excitement. This was it! I was so excited to reach the water. I had been waiting my whole life forthis moment. It was a dream that I’d had forever with Cora. To see the water. To see the expanse of it.

My mind was so focused on reaching the island, finding the egg, and saving my kingdom that I didn’t hear the sounds of footsteps behind me and the hand that quickly covered my mouth.

My eyes fluttered with darkness, the life draining from my body.

1.Ezu (Eh-ooh): Heaven

2.Haxnau (Hah-nah-woo): Hell

Chapter twenty-nine

DAMIAN

Feeling bewildered and torn, I questioned my choices. Why had I left Aurelia? Why couldn’t I kill her?

Everything was different this time–especially since the stakes were high. Saving the girl from the fire made me feel a deep internal discomfort, as if mold had grown within me, signaling that what I was doing was wrong. The girl I saved reminded me too much of Sebastia, with the reflection of fire in her eyes, the heat of her skin, and the scorched pain on her face.

Clutching Sebastia's silver locket, a symbol of moving on in our culture, I realized she was ready to meet the gatekeeper ofEzu1 while I was attempting to bring her back. The selfishness within me became clear; I wanted to revive her for my beliefs, despite her readiness to leave.

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