“I’m fine.” She rose. “Absolutely fine. Nothing to see here.” She dusted herself off.
She strode down the terrace, trying to blend in. Shops lined one side, while the other was a stunning view of the center of the city with its waterfalls and bridges, and down to the lake.
The inhabitants’ clothing was fairly simple and streamlined—fitted trousers, tunic-like tops, or shirts that wrapped and tied on—but Zhaltons clearly liked color. All shades of the rainbow were present, from the brightest red to eye-searing yellow.
She passed stalls selling what looked like fruits—most appearing weird and wonderful. Others sold flowers in a multitude of colors and shapes. Strangely, she felt the hum of energy off some of them. There were also spices, in large, fragrant, colorful piles. Another stall sold musical instruments.
Oh, she really wanted to touch them. Mal played the guitar, and she wasn’t too bad. This stall had a stand of what looked like flutes, and some beautifully carved wooden instruments, a few that looked guitar-like.
No time, Mal. She turned away and breathed deep. The city of Citadel smelled gorgeous.
But she didn’t have time to appreciate the beauty. She turned and darted down a narrow alley. Buildings rose up around her, and clothes fluttered on lines anchored from various windows.
Hmm. On one lower line, she spotted some leather pants that looked about her size in a supple brown. There was also a blue shirt on another line, with a glint of silver at the neckline.
She leaped up and deftly nabbed them, and kept walking, tucking the garments under her arm.
She followed the twists and turns of the alleyways. She passed some older men and women playing some sort of projected game above a board that looked vaguely like a chess board. As she walked past another doorway, she nabbed a pair of black boots that were resting on a mat.
She passed a junction and watched kids running and chasing each other, giggling loudly. She carefully slipped into an alcove, and changed into the clothes. She shimmied into the pants. The boots were a little big, but they’d do.
She wrapped her hair up in a bun on top of her head and she slipped out. The kids were still playing, and the sight of it made her lips curve briefly in a smile. She heard music and spotted a middle-aged woman sitting on a stoop, playing a stringed instrument. Her eyes were closed, lost in making the beautiful music. Mal watched her for a moment, noting how she held it against her slim shoulder and how she plucked the strings.
With regret, Mal forced herself to keep moving. She came to a flower stall and stopped by to sniff one. It smelled divine.
An older, weathered man stepped around the display and smiled at her. He nabbed a red bloom from the display and handed it to her.
“Oh, I can’t pay,” Mal said.
“No worries. A pretty flower for a pretty woman.”
She took it and smiled. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”
“You look like you needed some kindness.”
Mal felt a little kick under her heart. “Things have been a little rough lately.” She tucked the flower behind her ear. “Thanks again.”
The man inclined his head. “Be well.”
Suddenly, the kids got noisier, excitement ringing in their voices. “Palace guards are headed this way!”
Shit. Mal forced herself to stay relaxed and slipped into a doorway.
Two tall, brawny guards wearing red sashes walked past. They strode with purpose.
Crap. Were they looking for her?
She needed a weapon, and then to get out of the city.
The guards turned a corner and were gone. She stepped out and approached the kids.
“Hey, have you guys heard of the Badus Mountains?”
They blinked at her.
“Yeah,” one said.
Another one shrugged. “Everyone has.”
“My mother threatens to send me there whenever I disobey her.” The boy winced. “Or when I break something.”
“How do you get there?” Mal asked.
The oldest of the kids eyed her with suspicious blue eyes. “You’re not from around here?”
“No, I’m…from the north.”
The kids nodded.
“I’ve a cousin in Krish,” one boy said.
Mal nodded in reply. Wherever that was.
“The Badus Mountains are in the Barrens,” the tall kid said. “It’s dangerous.”
“Right. The Barrens are in which direction?”
They all frowned at her.
“Everyone on Zhalto knows where the Barrens are.” The kid’s frown deepened.
“I know, I just don’t know my way out of Citadel. Refresh my memory.”
“The Barrens cut across the center of the planet,” the older kid said. “Caused by the Radiance.”
“The Radiance.” What was that?
The boy’s brow creased. “The giant solar flare that hit the system centuries ago.”
“Right. Of course.”
“It sent a blast of radiation like a missile across Zhalto and formed the Barrens,” another kid parroted, like he was reading from a script. “It left Zhalto changed forever.” The kid wrinkled his nose. “I had to do an assignment on it at school. After that, the magnetic field became stronger, charged with particles from the sun, and Zhaltons adapted.”
“I knew that.” She remembered vividly how Rhain’s blade had lit up during her dream. Hell, could all the Zhaltons use energy like that? If so, she was in trouble.
“So, to get to the Barrens?” she prompted.
“East,” the older kid said. “Until the farmland gives way to rocks. The Badus Mountains have a large peak in the center. Mount Yos.”
“Great. Thanks, kids.”
Mal turned and strode back down the alley. She ended up back out on one of the wide terraces.
Next up, she needed a weapon. She turned a corner and finally the universe stopped being a bitch.
She saw a line of shops with racks of weapons out front. There were swords, axes, knives, crossbows. They were really like nothing she’d seen on Earth. They were exquisite, with different designs, most of them jagged and ornate.
“Best weapons in Citadel.” A hard-eyed woman leaned against the weapons racks.
“They look great,” Mal said.
“Ahron Weapons specializes in the best charged weapons in all of Zhalto.”
Charged weapons? Mal nodded. “I’m just looking.”
She wandered farther down the line of shops.
Then she saw it. A gorgeous, simple blade. A saber—solid and strong.
The blade was almost white, the hilt sturdy with a few ornate flourishes. Her hands itched to touch it. She glanced around. She hated stealing, but this was life or death.
Muttering a quiet apology to the seller, she snatched the sword up, then grabbed a scabbard from the display beside her. She nabbed a knife from a nearby table, as well. She spun away and walked quickly. She expected to hear shouts, see someone chasing her down.
Nothing.
In a shadowed corner, she lifted the sword and assessed the weight. Nice. She pulled the scabbard on, and it fit nicely over her back. She fastened it and slid the sword into it.
Right. Now to get out of the city and go east.
Suddenly, the air charged around her, making her skin tingle. She stilled and turned.
Uh-oh.
She spotted Rhain in the distance, striding down the terrace.