Chapter 11: The City
"Halt!"
I stopped in my tracks as soon as I heard someone shout.
Looking up, I saw two skinny guys standing in front of a small passageway that probably could only accommodate about one to two carriages, connected to the city wall.
Through the dirty cloth draped over my head, covering half my face, I could make out their worn-out clothes and the daggers strapped to their waists.
They were standing there with their arms crossed, trying way too hard to look intimidating.
"This road was opened by me," one declared.
"This tree was planted by me," the other chimed in.
"If you want to pass here, leave your money behind."
They took turns speaking each line like they had rehearsed it. It was actually amusing.
I had to fight the urge to laugh. Trying to keep a straight face, I asked, confused, "What tree? I don’t see any tree here."
At the same time, I put the dirty cloth bag down next to me.
They both froze, clearly caught off guard by my question.