Zara felt as though she’d been yanked through every stall in this outdoor market. Yet the street never seemed to end; there was still so much left, so much she did not care to see. Because at one point, it all blended together like splashes of paint hastily swiped across a slate. It seemed like fine art at first glance, but it was really all the same pretentious shit.

Saren promised they’d explore the beach soon, and at this point, Zara was looking forward to doing that the most. But this did not mean she disliked shopping. In fact, despite her impatient weariness, Zara was rather happy with what she and Saren had picked out. In a large woven bag, graciously handed to them by a couple of older, lavish-looking women selling accessories, were an assortment of clothes, jewelry, small home decorations, and snacks. Most of the goods sold here were expensive—that had been a given—but Zara was okay with spending a bit more coin than usual today, as long as she did not overdo it. She hardly ever got the chance to spend luxuriously, save for the first few times she’d gone out on personal outings around the local shops near her neighborhood after settling into the new home. Besides, Revan had gifted her some extra money for this trip. He was well-aware of the costs of food and entertainment in this city.

Zara followed Saren down a steeper path, eating from a small bowl of tasty fruit and cream. They passed more food tents, a casual restaurant and bakery, and a florist shop. They were nearing the beach, which was finally their next destination. Zara never thought she’d be in a place like this, alone with a friend, peacefully strolling along a gorgeous city without much to worry over. It was such a stark difference from when she’d wandered around her own hometown. She realized now just how rushed she’d been at that time, stressed about her father catching her—which he had. The entire ordeal had ended in multiple regrets.

This outing, however, would hopefully not. She did not have to worry about her father or her mother or that terrible little town with its terrible little people ever again. She could wander as she pleased, and go back to a home where no beatings or draggings across rough grounds awaited her.

Zara only had one worry today. One tiny worry that may or may not end in an entirely different regret. She’d be enjoying this day a lot more if not for the dark presence lingering behind her and Saren this whole time. It never came too close, never approached them, but as distant as it was, it was near enough to make Zara uncomfortable. Near enough to where she did not let her guard down. The dagger in her pocket seemed to graze at her thigh more and more by the minute as the trudged down the hill that led to the sea view.

Although Saren never uttered a word about it, Zara could tell she felt this strange presence too. Every once in a while, her brow would twitch and she’d survey the area. It was easy for her to do over the crowd because she was the tallest woman ever. She’d received so many awestruck looks and questions about her heritage within the market every place they had shopped.

Practically every local here could tell they were tourists and asked where they had traveled from. Zara only mentioned the neighborhood she lived in, never once revealing her old home. News had gone around about Pria, and it wasn’t good. The northern zealots were pushing people out, burning homes, injuring families, and destroying places of worship that did not fit their ideologies. She did not wish to be associated with that place. She didn’t even want to bring its name to her lips. It was once a home that welcomed everyone, and now its beauty was reduced to a mangled mess of maniacs. It was so bad that whenever Saren mentioned that she hailed from the far north, people took the opportunity to bring up Pria instead, even though that was not where Saren was from. Zara did not miss Saren’s suspicious sideways glance over her during each of these repetitive conversations.

The women were about to pass a grooming salon. Zara disposed of her finished cream cup in a nearby bin and began walking quickly. Saren followed her stride. They really wanted to lose their mysterious stalker but it was difficult. It seemed to be keeping an eye on them. Zara couldn’t figure out why. What did it want? What was it planning to do? Her instincts were telling her that it wasn’t good, so she’d rather not find out.

A tall, skinny man wearing a perfectly groomed beard and a fashionable dress stood outside of the salon’s clean and colorful exterior. He was calling out to every person passing by, hoping to reel in his next customer. When he spotted the girls, his shapely brows flew up. In the next instant, he was blocking their path.

Zara jolted back. If she hadn’t, she would have smashed her body into the man’s. That was how close he’d gotten. Saren pulled her back by the arm before she could topple over backwards.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” the man said, raising his hand in a traditional greeting. His voice was rather high and delicate for a man, though it suited his graceful appearance.

Saren and Zara wordlessly raised their hands as well, stunned. And a little unnerved.

“My, what beautiful young girls you are!” He grinned widely. His teeth were white against his dark skin. “Heading somewhere important?”

“The beach,” Zara mumbled.

“The theater,” Saren answered at the same time. “Well…yes. After we see the beach.”

The man chuckled. “Of course you are. And look at you, as big as a tower!”

Saren smiled. “So I’ve been told. Many times today.”

“You’re northern folk, aren’t you? Such pretty accents you have!”

Saren and Zara gave each other a look. They did not wish to repeat yet another talk about that. Even Saren, after the fifth time, had finally stopped mentioning Ghyora.

“Don’t be shy,” he blathered on. “I love the north. All of it. Every place. Despite its…unpleasant politics so thoroughly spreading about everywhere—”

“Yes, well, we should be going,” Saren interrupted.

“Not so fast! Here you ladies are, out and about all this lively luxury…it would be a shame if you missed your chance to properly…integrate yourselves here, don’t you think? You never know who you might run into. Especially at a beach or a theater. How about a fresh groom?” He leaned into Zara’s face, examining it. “My, my! It looks like you could actually use one too! We do everything from the face to the body. Waxes, trims, blades, threading, everything. Body grooming may not be as common where you’re from, but here in the Kingdom, it is quite a necessity! We even have facial cosmetics. Eyelid pigments and paints to conceal those little spots you have growing there.”

He waved a finger around Zara’s jawline. She frowned at him, touching her cheek insecurely. Indeed it was a bit too prickly and bumpy for her liking.

“I’ll give you girls a great discount, seeing as how you are new!” the man finally finished his speech.

“I don’t know…” Zara said, stalling. She hadn’t really been in the mood for this, but now he had gotten her uncertain about walking around with such an informal appearance. If they went into the salon, how long would it take until they got out? She looked to Saren for help.

Saren sighed, turning back and scanning their surroundings as she so often anxiously did today. “It may not be a bad idea, Zara. For now.”

“But I really want to go to the sea.”

“The sea can wait!” the man exclaimed. “It will be there, still, when we are through. I promise we will work fast. The days are getting longer, yes? Do not worry! There will be time to see the sun set. It is a beautiful sight from beach, the port, that one old temple hardly anyone ever attends—wherever you make your stop! There is a theater not too far from here. You will be gorgeous the whole time. Is that not what you desire? To be eye-catching? Again, you never know who you will meet. Your next lover could be awaiting you on that beach!”

Saren chortled. “He makes a convincing argument.”

Does he? He just wanted their money. And he wasn’t going to move until he got it, or Saren shoved him out of their way. And she didn’t seem like she was going to be doing that any time soon.

Zara was left with no other choice but to follow the man into his wealthy salon. Saren had a point. At least their stalker had retreated for the time being.

They made it to the beach in time to see the sun lowering further toward the ocean’s horizon, just as the money-hungry salon owner had promised them. Even though Zara and Saren stood, with their toes digging pleasurably into the soft sand, with very little coin left in their purses, the man had kept his word and they got out of the shop looking better than before. They did not agree to a full body groom no matter how much the owner had insisted; the facial grooming had been more than enough to fill his pockets anyway. But he had delivered well, as the salon and its products were of high quality, and the workers were experts at their craft.

The women had changed into the nicer dresses they bought earlier, giving Zara the opportunity to address her hygiene once more before they left the building, red lips stretched out happily. Zara wore a gorgeously embroidered wrap dress in maroon, leaving one shoulder bare. Her hair was tied in a high bun, ornamented with a pearly hair piece. Saren had on a purple blouse that left her midriff and neckline generously exposed. She paired it with a beaded long skirt and shawl. Her jewelry, particularly her earrings were heavier than Zara’s, and she’d kept her silky hair down. She was very beautiful, and for once, Zara wasn’t shy to say it. Saren had told her the same, and even though Zara felt that she wasn’t as kind to the eye as Saren was, she’d accept the compliment. It was nice to hear and she was in too good of a mood to let her insecurities overshadow it.

They were both especially impressed with the colored cosmetics around their eyes. Zara personally would always prefer a simple dark kohl and lip color more than any other sort of makeup. But she could see herself enjoying this on occasion.

Not only were they beautified to match the society around them, but they were given free samples of products and perfume to take with them as well. The man may have been a tad pushy, but he was, at least, an honest one with a good heart. He’d bid the girls goodbye with a kiss on the back of their hands, assuring them that they could make it to the theater for its evening event.

“Go show your lovely selves off. Be proud. And come back any time. Oh, and spread the word; my services are always available right over here.”

When they had arrived at the spacious beach—leaving their belonging hidden behind some rocks up the hill—Saren had knelt down and let the sand run through her fingers.

“I can’t believe I’m here,” she said breathlessly. “I’m actually here.”

Zara grinned. “It’s so different from home, huh?”

“It’s like a new world. Warmer, fuller, livelier…there’s so much I still haven’t seen. But I’m grateful to all the gods—if they be true—that I am here.”

“Me too,” Zara said. “I’m grateful that I’m still standing in one piece.”

Saren laughed.

Their skirts billowed slightly against the salty air. The waves crashed majestically up ahead. Birds squawked as they flew high, like specks in the sky. Zara wriggled her toes, wanting to walk further. She wanted to feel the water on her feet. It would be the first time in her life, but she was afraid to soil her clothes.

A few yards away, a small crowd had gathered around some musicians getting ready to play their next ballad. The people cheered at the energetic sound of the tablas. Saren grabbed Zara’s hand and yanked her forward.

“The sea awaits!”

Apparently, she had no qualms about her clothing. So why should Zara?

Laughing, they danced their way to the shore. Zara closed her eyes, letting the briny breeze, the soft warm sand beneath her feet, and the tabla’s vibrant tune overtake her. When the water rushed over her feet, Zara shrieked and almost fell back with Saren. She ran away, afraid of the tide pulling her in. But soon, she was right back where she started. Her dress no longer mattered, at least not the bottom of it.

Saren had been right. There was beauty in this city, and this was it. She knelt down, touching the muddy sand. Saren was speaking, but Zara wasn’t hearing any of it. A hot trickle ran through her body, wrapping around her arms like ribbons before dropping all at once to the center of her palms. The only sound apparent to her was the waves approaching, trickling out, running over her hands, rising up her arms. Her dress was soaked, but even that felt refreshing. For some strange reason, she never wanted to leave this water…this sand. A strong urge to stay overtook her senses, as though she wanted to be a part of it. Become the sand. Become the sea.

She hardly registered Saren’s squeezing grip on her shoulder.

Zara closed her eyes again, embracing the roaring waves, the cold touch of the ocean.

Suddenly, the water was gone. Zara immediately opened her eyes as Saren’s gave her a violent shake.

“Zara?!”

“What?” Zara stood up. The tide was receding very quickly, like it had made a mistake coming up at all and was now running away as fast as it could. Confused at the sight and of Saren’s panic, she repeated, “What?”

“I think we need to get back!”

“Huh? Why?”

“Look!” She pointed as the ocean rolled and rolled, preparing what looked like a giant swell of a rising mound.

Zara cursed as Saren took her hand and ran up the beach. Soon enough, the wave came crashing after them. They weren’t too late, but unfortunately, the musicians and their dancing audience were blindsided.

Surprised screeches rang out into the air as half the beach was cascaded by seawater. It had been a big wave, but not destructive. The people who had been caught in it lifted themselves out of the water in a drenched, stupefied daze. The tide rolled back. The musicians unfortunately lost their instruments in the process. They watched, crying out helplessly, as the sea stole their tablas like a heartless thief.

Bewilderment and shock eventually led to whooping laughter, as though the gods had played a prank on them all. Meanwhile, as she stood on shaky legs at the top of the hill in a damp dress, Zara’s heart hammered uncomfortably. The heat in her skin had died too fast. Now she was shivering like she had fallen deathly ill in less than a second.

“Are you okay?” Saren asked, gathering Zara into her arms to warm her up. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Zara stared at her. “I…” She was speechless. What had just happened?

“That was amazing, wasn’t it?” Saren said, looking back at the beach. “It looked scary and fun all at once. But I am glad we did not get all soiled down there like those people. My, the sea was so eager for us!”

Zara nodded. “Sure…”

Saren looked back at her gently. “Are you really okay?”

“…Yes.”

Saren smiled, bringing the girl closer to her. “That felt good didn’t it?”

“What? Yes?” Zara at first assumed Saren had been talking about everything before the tidal wave—the dancing, the playing, the sightseeing. But when she glanced up into Saren’s eyes, her pounding heart almost stopped.

That glassy gaze of hers was back. It was very mild compared to the previous time, but Zara could tell Saren wasn’t all present right now.

“Saren?”

“I felt it too. With you. Look, over there.” Saren pointed again to the water, and what Zara saw had her mouth dropping down in awe.

A thick blanket of sea rose up and up, almost as though the ocean was preparing its next assault. But out of this blanket ripped out a ginormous steel-blue whale. Its hefty size was one Zara did not know could exist, even after seeing illustrations of them in books. It was big enough to block the setting sun and was wide enough to cover multiple small homes in this very city. It tore through the air and flipped over. Its eyes were giant and black, yet it somehow glistened, almost like a twinkling star. The whale dove downward, leaving its broad tale up and swishing wildly before disappearing back into the ocean.

The powerful dive had been enough to cause another strong gush of water racing out, once again flooding the beach and its onlookers. This time, every spectator on the higher roads stopped to gawk. Soon, the area was absolutely crowded. Many people were loudly exclaiming this to be some sort of miracle, for they had lived in this area for years and had never seen or heard of such an occurrence ever happening before. Such a large whale hardly ever came near the shore, as its species were known to be recluse and afraid of people.

The large boats at the port were rocking quite dangerously, like one wrong wave would tip them over. Zara could see some smaller boats had actually overturned in the distance. Though, with the help of some magic, she sensed no real injury other than some minor inconvenience. Multiple fish were lying around the sands, having been washed up from the most recent tide.

When Zara looked back at Saren again, all had returned to normal. Saren was blinking slowly around at the throng of people, frowning at being jostled. She still had her arms firmly around Zara.

“I don’t know what that was about,” Saren said, “but I think we can agree with what everyone is saying. Such a magnificent creature, flying from the depths of the water, just to greet us during our very first visit to the sea. It was like a miracle just for us, wouldn’t you say?”

At that, Zara’s heart finally eased. The ocean was calm again. The sun was now half under the horizon. The crowd of people were slowly dissipating as they headed down the beach to engage with others on what had just happened.

That whale had been a miracle of her doing. It had come at her calling, and it had sent her a greeting. Knowing that brought Zara an unexpected tranquility, as though the creature belonged with her. It felt like meeting a long lost friend. Zara found herself smiling at that, and she cuddled closer to the other woman. Her other friend.

“Are you still cold?” Saren asked.

“Yeah.”

Saren snickered. “Okay. We should go, then. The theater is back up this hill. We do not want to be late. Seeing all this fish out here is making me hungry again too.” She grinned excitedly. “I can’t wait to talk about this. Finally, we have such a good story to tell that isn’t about the north.”

Zara laughed. “I’m surprised to hear you saying something like that.”

“Oh, I do love my home. But these people have made me so sick of it in only a few hours.”

Turning on their heels, the women gathered their shoes and their bags—thankfully left untouched by the water—and began walking to their desired destination. Zara let Saren go ahead of her so she could discreetly look back at the beach. The sun had gone, leaving the horizon in a stretch of deep orange. The rest of sky and the rippling sea were enveloped in soft purples and pinks. The stars were beginning to emerge, twinkling just like the eye of the whale. She kissed her hand and swung it out, waving the sea farewell.