230- The Taste of Freedom
POV Elowen Grimwald:
“You can go down, dear. Bratvo will accompany you.” I stared at Nerin in desperation.
“I don’t know where anything is!”
“I guarantee that if you try to enter any restricted place, your guard will stop you.”
“He will? I don’t want trouble.” I turned to him, wishing he would say something.
“You’re safe with me.”
I felt briefly relieved and clapped my hands in a burst of excitement. I kissed Nerin on the cheek, leaving her flustered, before skipping down the stairs, greeted by the cool touch of the wind despite the heat.
The air in that place was purer than any I had breathed in twenty years. Still descending the steps, I caught sight of the towers I had entered while searching for my sister.
Where everything began…
There were two gates—one right at the end of the staircase and another near the palm trees. I headed toward the closest one, and the guard stepped in front of me.
“Not here.”
“What’s in there?”
“Only the alpha has the key to that passage.”
“Understood, bodyguard.” I raised my hands in surrender and turned toward the palm trees.
I thought about running, but he might think I was trying to escape—better not. I walked briskly to the gate, which opened automatically. I suspected it was only because the big guy was right behind me.
Outside, all I found was vegetation.
I walked through the trees along what seemed like a common path until I came face to face with the famous village. In what looked like the central area, four large buildings stood behind a kind of shared square.
To the right, the beginning of what I imagined to be a residential area.
The people walking around were well dressed and healthy-looking—the kind of people who were happy. I walked toward the largest building, isolated at the back, two stories tall, curious to find out what was inside.
I offered a friendly smile to every curious face that turned toward me along the way. I could see the same question on the faces of those males and females: who is she?
The entrance to the largest building was shaped like a tower. I didn’t think twice—I just went in, without any objection from my bodyguard.
I was stunned.
The building was an archaic version of a shopping mall.
On the left, women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing stores. On the right, variety shops, and at the back, what looked like a large grocery store. I headed there, eager to find out whether they sold the same things as in the city.
The first wide section of iron shelves in the center was dedicated to perfumes and hygiene products. Excited to smell some perfume bottles, I bumped into an elderly woman in the aisle.
“I’m sorry!” I touched her shoulders, and she reacted strangely to my touch, startled. I pulled back immediately.
“Mrs. Korlina, please excuse us.” Bratvo approached, making her avert her frightened gaze from me.
“Who is this young woman, Bratvo? Your girlfriend?” A short laugh escaped me, and I covered my mouth. The lady’s attention returned to me, but instead of fear, curiosity took over. “Did I say something silly?”
“Bratvo is just my bodyguard,” I revealed, but instantly regretted it when he cleared his throat beside me.
Flaring her nostrils, the lady seemed to sniff me.
“What’s your name, little one? Did I smell like milk, by any chance?”
“Elowen. And yours is…” I had forgotten the name Bratvo had used.
“Korlina,” she completed, studying me.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Korlina.” She gave a short smile.
“The pleasure is mine.” She extended her hand, proving that not everyone there was rude; I accepted it, shaking her hand politely. The simple handshake made my heart race. Was all of this emotion just from interacting with new people after so many days locked up?
“Are you new here, Elowen?” she continued.
“I am…”
“You’re a very beautiful female.”
Her compliment made me shy after so long hearing only criticism and harshness.
“Thank you…” I noticed she was holding a shopping basket with some difficulty, her back slightly bent. “Would you like help with that?” I touched the handle of the basket.
“That’s very kind of you, but there’s no need.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, dear.” She gave a half-smile. “I must go, but I hope to see you again.”
“Of course. Me too.”
“Bratvo, will you be the one to take me to Noctheria today?” she asked my guard.
“No, Mrs. Korlina, but I’ll check with the alpha.”
“Thank you very much, dear.”
With a brief wave, the lady left, and I even forgot what I had been doing there. I turned to Bratvo, who was looking at me somewhat irritated.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“You talk too much.”
My lips parted in disbelief.
“But I barely opened my mouth! We just met!”
“We’re leaving.”
I crossed my arms, annoyed.
“I don’t want to leave yet.” I scanned the shelves. “I want to shop.” He frowned, irritated. “I’m serious, guard.”
“Do you have money, by any chance?”
“No…” I deflated, remembering that small detail. After a long sigh, Bratvo took his phone from his pocket, tapped the screen a few times, and brought it to his ear. “What are you doing?”
“Quiet.” Rude. “Sir, I hope I’m not bothering you.” Was he talking to Aldren? “Everything’s under control. The female wants to shop.” On second thought, I regretted it… Aldren would probably get annoyed with me for abusing his goodwill. “Understood, sir. At your service.”
The bodyguard ended the call and put the phone away, fixing his dark eyes on me.
“I’m screwed, aren’t I?”
“You’re cleared to shop.”
Incredulity spread across my face.
“No way! Seriously?”
“Yes, female,” he insisted, impatient.
“Can I buy… whatever I want?”
“Don’t give me trouble. Take only what we can carry, without needing to bother the delivery men.”
“A loooot of bags fit in your arms, Bratvo.” I winked at him, thrilled by the idea of stuffing myself with beauty products.
“Move it.”
“You don’t have to tell a girl to go shopping twice, Bratvo.”
Excited, I grabbed a cart near the entrance counters and went after everything I needed.
Could I have taken just one perfume? I could have—but I fell in love with two. Besides all the feminine hygiene products, so I could stop using Aldren’s, I also grabbed some of the few industrialized items on the shelves.
Most of the products seemed to be homemade, because the labels were different from the ones I knew, so I had to read everything.
After the grocery store, I went to the clothing shops. I bought a pair of ankle boots and some underwear to replace the ones Aldren had torn.
I let my walking bank pay and leaned against the open door, watching people walk by before having to return to the mansion.
A familiar scent filled my nostrils, and I turned my face, following it.
My eyes met those of a beautiful woman with dark brown skin and shiny black hair, just like mine.
Where did I know her from?
I smiled at her, but she didn’t smile back.