After a few minutes of struggle, Alden emerged. He looked less like a wild spirit and more like a normal traveler now. The grey tunic matched his quiet personality, though his blue hair still made him look unique. He touched the fabric on his chest, marveling at the texture.
"Better," Saira said, adjusting his collar. "Now, let's find food. And answers."
They walked deeper into the town until they found a tavern called The Sleeping Sand. The smell of grilled meat and stale beer hit them as soon as they opened the heavy wooden door. The room was crowded. Mercenaries, traders, and travelers sat at round tables, shouting over the sound of a lute player in the corner.
Saira found an empty table in the back, away from the light. They sat down. A waitress with a tired face slammed two wooden mugs of water on the table.
"Food?" the waitress asked.
"Bread and meat," Saira ordered. "And do you know where I can find parts for a Sand-Skiff? Specifically, an Imperial model?"
The waitress stopped writing on her pad. She looked at Saira suspiciously. "Imperial parts? Those are illegal here in the Federation territory. You do not want to ask about that loudly, girl."
"I... I understand," Saira lowered her voice. "But it is urgent. Do you know anyone?"
The waitress sighed. She pointed a thumb toward a dark corner of the tavern. "Ask the man in the red turban. His name is Jiro. If it exists, he can find it. But he is not cheap."
"Thank you," Saira said.
When the food arrived, Saira realized another problem. Alden did not know how to eat. He picked up the bread and squeezed it. He sniffed the meat.
"Like this," Saira demonstrated, taking a bite of her bread.
Alden mimicked her. He took a bite. His eyes widened. A look of pure joy crossed his face. He ate the rest of the bread in two seconds. Then the meat. Then he looked at Saira's plate.
"Hungry," Alden said. It was the first word he had spoken since the crash.
Saira pushed her plate toward him. She smiled gently. "Go ahead. You need your strength."
While Alden ate with the speed of a starving wolf, Saira watched the room. She felt anxious. Toran was waiting in the desert alone. Liana was still missing. And now she had this mysterious boy to take care of.
"Who are you, really?" she whispered to herself, watching Alden lick crumbs from his fingers. "Dragons do not turn into boys."
Suddenly, the tavern door banged open. The music stopped. The chatter died down.
Three soldiers walked in. They wore the dark iron armor of the Zenoa Empire. The symbol of the Black Dragon was painted on their chest plates. It was rare to see Imperial soldiers this far into Federation territory, but since the peace treaty, they were allowed to patrol the borders.
The leader, a man with a scar across his nose, scanned the room. His eyes were cold and calculating.
"We are looking for something," the captain announced. His voice was loud and arrogant. "A light fell from the sky tonight. Did anyone see where it landed?"
The tavern was silent. Nobody wanted trouble with the Empire.
Saira's heart hammered against her ribs. They are looking for him, she realized. They saw the crash.
She kicked Alden lightly under the table. "Head down," she hissed.
Alden stopped eating. He looked at the soldiers. His expression changed. The innocent curiosity was gone, replaced by a sudden, intense focus. His golden eyes narrowed. A low growl rumbled in his throat, like a dog sensing a predator.
"Quiet," Saira pleaded, grabbing his arm. His muscles were rock hard.
The captain began to walk through the tables, looking at faces. He stopped near their table. He looked at Saira, then at Alden.
"You," the captain said, pointing at Alden. "Blue hair. Unusual."
Alden stared back. He did not blink. He did not look down.
"Where are you from, boy?" the captain asked, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Saira jumped in before Alden could do anything strange. "He is my brother, sir!" she said, making her voice sound high and scared. "He is... simple in the head. He does not speak much. We are just travelers from the coast."
The captain looked at Saira. He sneered. "A Wyndian girl and a mute idiot. A pathetic pair."
He leaned in closer to Alden. "You have the eyes of a beast, boy. I do not like it."
The captain reached out and grabbed Alden's chin roughly to inspect his face.
It happened in a flash.
Alden did not punch him. He simply moved. His hand shot up and grabbed the captain's wrist. It was not a violent grab, but it was immovable.
"Do not... touch," Alden said clearly. His voice was deeper than before.
The captain tried to pull his hand back, but he couldn't. His face turned red. "Let go, you filth!"
The other two soldiers drew their swords. "Let him go!"
Saira panicked. "Alden, stop! Let him go!"
Alden looked at Saira. The golden glow in his eyes faded slightly. He released the captain's wrist. The captain stumbled back, rubbing his arm. There were red fingermarks on his skin.
"You dare assault an Imperial Officer?" the captain shouted, drawing his own sword.
"Run!" Saira yelled.
She grabbed a heavy ceramic pitcher from the table and threw it. It smashed into the face of the nearest soldier, blinding him with water and wine.
"Come on!" She grabbed Alden's hand and pulled him toward the back exit.
"Get them!" the captain roared.
They burst out of the back door into a narrow alleyway. The night air was cool. Saira didn't stop. She ran, dragging Alden behind her. They turned left, then right, navigating the maze of mud-brick houses.
"Why did you do that?" Saira panted as they hid behind a stack of crates. Her heart was racing.
Alden looked at his hand, then at Saira. He looked confused again, as if he didn't remember what just happened. "He... bad. Dangerous."
"Yes, he is bad! That is why we do not provoke him!" Saira scolded him, but she wasn't truly angry. She was amazed. That captain was twice Alden's size, but Alden had handled him like a child.
"We cannot go back to the tavern," Saira said, peeking around the corner. "But we still need the parts for the Sand-Skiff. The waitress said the broker's name was Jiro."
"Jiro," Alden repeated.
"We have to find him," Saira said, fixing her hood. "Before the soldiers find us."
She looked up at the moon. The night was only just beginning, and things were already going wrong. But as she looked at Alden, who was now peacefully watching a moth fly around a lantern, she felt a strange sense of hope. He was dangerous, yes. But he had protected her.
"Come on, Dragon Boy," she whispered. "Let's go find a criminal."
They moved into the shadows, heading toward the market district where the black market thrived, leaving the angry shouts of the soldiers far behind them.