Snippet from the beginning of the second chapter. I still like it. :3 --- Malathena floated in the shallow shore water, arms crossed over a flat reef. The merchant, who had come to trade raw flesh for ocean floor amber, was heaving his wooden crates onto a horse carriage. Thena’s mouth and teeth were red with cow blood. His index finger tapped a pure black arm.
“Deliver a message for me.”
The trader paused.
“A girl in the village - fair hair, sickly. Low voice. Short. Smells of fruit.”
The man’s expression became blank for a moment until a realization lit his eyes. “...The orchard carer’s daughter? Runa? ...Whatever do you want with her?” His bushy brows furrowed, beard moving in a huff. “Now you leave that lass be, she’s on her deathbed.”
Malathena’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean.”
Another crate, a harumph. “Her mother minds the market booths alone these days. High fever, took a turn for the worst when the foolish thing tripped down from the docks last week.”
Malathena lifted the left corner of his upper lip, sucking in air through his teeth. “Hardly dead then. Tell her to come meet me when the fever goes down.”
“Meet?” The man grunted and snapped the harness. “Don’t hold your breath. There is no sign of reprieve if her mother’s face is anything to go by.”
“There will be.” Malathena stated, and watched the departing carriage with dark eyes, its horse huffing anxiously when the wind brought his smell through its path.