Chapter 12 Beauty!
Mira's smile widened, sly and satisfied. "Good girl!"
She patted the wooden stall beside her. "Stay with me a little. I'm almost done selling."
Lyriel sat down nervously as Mira turned back to her customers. After a moment, Mira nudged her.
"Here. Hold the tray. Walk around and show them. Smile! men buy faster when they see someone pretty."
Lyriel blinked. But she did as she was told, stepping into the crowd with the tray balanced carefully on her palms.
At first, her voice was soft, barely above a mumble. "Fresh fruit…sweet fruit…"
But people turned at the sight of her, curious and charmed by her beauty. Older women reached for fruit with laughter, murmuring about 'Eli's strange lost girl'. Lyriel smiled at them. Still, she sold quickly. Faster than she expected.
Each coin she dropped into the small cloth Mira had given her made Mira's eyes widen just a little more. And when Lyriel returned with an empty tray and flushed cheeks, Mira let out a low whistle.
"Well, well," she said, gathering the last of the coins. "You're useful after all."
Lyriel blinked, not sure whether it was a compliment.
Mira packed up the remaining baskets, tying them neatly with practiced hand. When everything was secured, she slung a basket under her arm and jerked her chin.
"Let's go."
Lyriel followed her out of the market, down the familiar road lined with small houses. She noticed that Mira was unusually quiet, but thought she must be tired after a stressful day—stressful for Lyriel, yet stress-free for Mira, who had literally sat all day counting money.
Mira's house wasn't far—a simple mud-brick home with a worn brown door and a short front step. Smoke curled softly from the kitchen chimney, carrying the scent of pepper soup. Before they even reached the door, Mira's grandmother called from inside, her voice raspy with age.
"Mira! Is that you?"
"Yes, Mama!" Mira shouted back. Then she lowered her voice, leaning close to Lyriel. "She is my grandma ."
She pushed open the door and gestured Lyriel inside.
Mira kicked off her sandals. "Sit anywhere. We're starting now."
Lyriel felt her stomach twist uneasily, but she stepped inside anyway, telling herself she was doing this for Eli…and hoping she wasn't making a fool out of herself.
“Alright,” Lyriel said as she watched Mira toss her scarf aside.
“Lesson one: Eye contact! When Eli talks, especially when he’s looking at you, make sure to hold his gaze… let your eyes flirt a little..."
“Sorry to interrupt, Mira,” said Lyriel.
Mira turned sharply to look at her, disappointed by the interruption. Lyriel cleared her throat, trying desperately hard to push down her anxiety.
“But I…” She swallowed. “I… honestly don’t understand what you're saying... I'm lost! Can you please explain further?”
“Like seriously!” Mira yelled. One could clearly see her frustration, and Lyriel wondered at her outburst. “I am taking my precious time to teach you how to seduce Eli, and you’re asking me silly questions?”
“Why are you yelling at me?”
“Because you’re acting like a damn child, and I hate it!”
Lyriel stared at her in surprise, unsure whether she was with the right person. She didn’t know Mira too well to call her a friend, but the sudden reaction and anger were something she couldn’t understand.
“Why are you angry at me? I only asked you to explain what you just said. Did I do something wrong?"
“Yes, you did!” Mira snapped. “You’re... you're so perfect! You live with the perfect guy, and everyone in the village loves you—unlike me! So don’t pretend you don’t know.”
Lyriel was shocked by her outburst. She had no words—no idea how to respond to a confession wrapped in so much hurt and jealousy.
“I… should go.” She said, barely above a whisper.
“Please, do!” Mira retorted.
Lyriel sprang to her feet, storming out of the house but Mira did not stop her. She just turned away. Her grandmother, who had been dozing by the fire, lifted her head.
“Mira... what is wrong?”
But Mira ignored her and stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her.
Lyriel walked down the lonely street, her heart racing fast in sadness, and a tear dropped from her eyes. She couldn’t understand what was wrong with Mira and why she yelled at her with so much hatred. Mira was the one who brought up the idea about seducing Eli, so why the jealousy? Or did she do something wrong to her?
“Why are humans so difficult to understand?” she pouted, cleaning her tears with the back of her hand. What was she going to do now? She needed to be on good terms with Eli, or he would chase her out.
Lost in thought, a sudden scent stung her nose. She paused, trying to figure out where it was coming from.
“There’s a river close by!” She exclaimed happily, as though she hadn’t been crying just moments ago.
With the aid of her sharp nose, she located the river not too far from Mira’s house. That was the same river she saw when she first arrived in the human world, seeing it again gave her a nostalgic feeling.
She sat down on a large rock, her legs dangling in the cold water. She had always loved rivers and oceans, and seeing one at that moment reminded her of Eloria…her home. She wondered how her mother was doing, and if she actually carried out her plans of sealing the veils.
The world of Eloria was actually perfect and beautiful, unlike the world of the humans, but she still couldn’t understand why she was so drawn to it. Or was it because of Eli?
As Lyriel thought deeply within herself, a strong breeze blew around the vicinity, waking her from her thoughts. She looked around and then gazed at the river…she felt something, but she couldn’t understand what it was.
A human head emerged from beneath the river, and as he rose majestically to the surface, his masculine form came into view. My God! He was the most beautiful human she had ever seen. Eli was handsome, no doubt, but the person walking out of the river was a living god. He had his eyes fixed on her as if challenging her to dare look away.
She stood up immediately, mesmerized by his beauty. He wore only short boxers, his chest and sculpted muscles exposed, as if made for her eyes alone. He was the very definition of seductive, even without trying.
“what are you doing here alone?” he asked with a friendly smile.
Lyriel couldn’t answer. In fact, she couldn’t remember what he just said. The only thing she could think of was that the man was standing right in front of her. She could literally feel her breath fading away.
He caressed her face, waking her from whatever trance she was in. His green eyes softened as he gazed curiously at her. “Are you okay?”
“Yes… yes, I am okay.”
“Please pass me my clothes.”
“Your clothes?” Lyriel furrowed her brows. She couldn’t remember seeing any clothes.
“Yes, the one on the rock. You’re sitting on it.” he replied.