Chapter 10: To Dream Again.
The town at night was alive, more so than it had been during the day.
Arah sat quietly, eyes flicking from one lit building to the next as the caravan rumbled along the narrow streets. Lanterns dangled between rooftops like scattered stars. Laughter spilled from shadowed alleys. The air was heavy with the scent of grilled meat and fried dough, clinging to his nose with every breath.
He hadn’t expected it to be like this.
"Is it always this... busy?" he asked.
Kren glanced at him. "Evenings are when most people get off work. They eat, drink, walk around. It’s usually like this... even more so when tomorrow’s a rest day."
He spoke casually, but Arah caught the shift in his tone near the end. A quiet softness. Almost fond. It was pretty obvious that Kren liked the town.
They pulled to a stop near a crowded food stall. Kren said nothing, just flicked a few bronze rings to the vendor and caught a pouch of steaming skewers tossed his way. He handed four to Arah without looking.
"Here. Try one."
Arah hesitated, then took one. It was hot, greasy, dripping, and the smell hit hard. He bit down.
His eyes widened.
It was outrageously good. The kind of good that made your eyes roll back a little, whether you wanted them to or not. Charred just right. Juicy in the middle. Coated in a spice blend that hit sweet, then savory, then spicy, like it couldn’t make up its mind.