Interlude [h.s]

seventy-one

DACRAN

Kiara lets out an annoyed sigh as she walks down the street. Evie hasn't given her much to go by, leaving her with nearly no chance to find her missing woman and missing President.

Lark. Maybe she wants to laugh. Truly, she hadn't expected Harry of all people to fall for a pretty woman and end up in a mess such as this. She can only hope he'll find a way to get himself out of it, because Dacran is a big city, and there's no way she'll find them without knowing the area they're in. If they're still in the city, too.

Now, it's fucking cold and autumn has come way too soon, and a cloud of vapour rises in the air with her every breath. A cloud. It's way too early for it to be this cold—especially because she'll have to find a job soon. Without Harry helping her from the Palace, she's very nearly screwed. And she's too far away from him, too. She worries—with good reason, apparently.

The sun has just set and the sky is of that forgettable shade of light blue-grey that makes it look like the universe has stopped trying. She definitely can't judge it, but still.

She enters a small shop close to where she's staying and goes through the isles, picking up all sort of foods that require no effort from her and a box of candy, because at this point she either drowns her worries in sugar or alcohol, and the second is less convenient and more expensive.

She should call Evie and ask for more information. She must know more.

Kiara doesn't like the thought of Harry being somewhere in the city with no protection. Sure, she knows he isn't the defenceless boy she used to know anymore and if someone attacked him she'd fear for them, not him, but worrying for him is engrained in her by now. Unfortunately he hates it when people worry about him, so she can do nothing but watch him from afar, a thousand miles away even when he was right on top of her, and hope he's well. Now it seems a little foolish.

She turns into a new isle and sees a woman. She's never seen her before and it surprises her a little, since it's such a small shop. She's pretty, but not in a doll-like, harmless way. It might be the way she walks around, with a sure step, aware of her surroundings, but Kiara is intrigued.

"Hey," she says, pretending to look at something on the shelf. She notices she's looking at eggs and steps closer. "The ones on top are better," she says, taking a carton from the top shelf and handing it to her. "Sometimes people break them while trying to feel the easily reachable ones. Animals. Who the hell even feels eggs?"

The woman chuckles and takes the carton. She seems to be around her age, maybe a couple of years younger. "Thanks."

Kiara smiles. "Oh, it's fine. I wish someone told me that when I first came here! What's your name?"

"Al," the other replies, and Kiara tilts her head.

"That's a peculiar name."

"It's a nickname," Al specifies. "I prefer it to my full name. It's too bird-y for me. Not that I dislike it, but it's exhausting to listen to people joke about it every time." She looks at her. "What's your name?"

Kiara lets out a faint laugh. This encounter might be the most interesting thing that has happened to her since she's moved to Dacran. "I'm Olive," she replies, because her real identity must stay a secret. "Do you live near here?"

Al lets out an enigmatic little noise. "Near enough." She glances out of the window and seems to notice the coming dark. "I should go, now. Thanks for the eggs."

She pays and leaves, and once again Kiara is the only customer in her favourite corner shop.

Only when she's walking down the street popping sugar into her mouth she takes in what the curious stranger said.