Page 25 of Soulmateless
I take one final look at the huge concrete block with swirls framing it. Written in a simple cursive isColumba Lacus Shopping Mall.
The books in Somnia's library said malls were just huge conglomerates of stores. They didn't mention they were secondary castles!
Meanwhile most of Somnia's shops are reduced to stands or shabby excuses for walls. Those shops end up falling apart because no one knows how to build a damn building or can't afford the materials.
Our kingdom is so underdeveloped because Amara's kingdom isolates ours. Amara's kingdom is the only way we can reach other lands, because all other ways are just mountains that are too tall and cold to pass. This wouldn't be a problem, if we weren’t enemies of Amara.
We could've had this prosperity in our kingdom!
It's been close to five hundred years since our technology has grown significantly. We don't have lamps around the city that light up automatically, orcars,or powerful guns that'd kill them in one shot. We make due with torches, and swords and arrows if our shifted form didn't do the trick. We've been stumped this whole time..
I walk towards the mall and people gawk at me. Raising a brow at them, I follow their stares to my shirt. Of course. It's all ripped up and it's not like everyone else is wearing scraps. They can even see my bra.
I sigh before reaching the door. It's not like I chose to be this way. I’ll just have to deal with the embarrassment until I hit the road again.
I step into the mall, immediately freeze on the spot.
If I thought it was majestic on the outside, the inside is even worse.
Under the glass dome, there's metal bars where white doves coo. Some of them fly around and the others sit bunched together. Amare flower sculptures hang from under them, shining in silver beneath the starlight.
Right below is a stage of live music on a stage. All the musicians are dressed in white suits and dresses. They play fiddles, both small and large, and a variety of whistles with a soft melody could whisk you into slumber.
People lounge nearby in gray leather chairs, many of them sharing the large seats with their lovers and bury their faces into the other’s neck.
I roll my eyes. I don't understand how anyone can fall in love. Sex and lust I can understand to blow off some steam, but even then it's shitty; especially with the men I've hooked up with. Anything beyond that though is revolting. It sounds cute at first, until you recount how many people have been ruthlessly murdered by their lover. First there's Rayden…then my father…and then countless others…Very few lovers actually make it out okay.
I wonder how many go home and rip at each other's throats.
Ignoring the performance, I saunter down the halls as the pristine marble floors click beneath my ragged boots. The stores around here have glowing signs showing off their names, glass windows below showcasing their clothes. Either they have sexy dresses and suits under dim light, or painfully bright lights that show their more casual outfits. I've never seen such a variety of nicely made clothes on display.
I catch the smell of something spiced with the faint addition of butter. It brings me back to the smell of the fireplaces in the castle, except there's a sweetness to it that draws my stomach. Whatever it is, I crave it even if I have no clue what it is.
But I can't stop to find it. I need a needle and thread.
Another minute into looking around, I spot a green sign with a clover glowing next to it.Clover's Fabric Store.And below, there's a plethora of colors with all different shades, tints and patterns of fabric.
There has to be a needle and thread here.
I walk in and scan the area. It shouldn't be too hard to find
“Hello! Welcome to-”
I snap my head up to the woman in front of me, who's hard to miss with her bright green collared shirt. She stops and gapes at my stomach.
Didn't take long for her to notice my condition.
I give my tongue a light bite before replying. “I'm fine. It's just-”
“Are you okay?” she gasps. “Do I need to call an ambulance or something?”
I lift my chin high. “No. I'm okay. I just need a needle and thread.”
She steps towards me, lowering her voice even more. “Are you sure? I can drive you to the hospital if you need.”
“No, I'm fine.” I straighten my posture further to assure her. “If you could just direct me to some needle and thread, I'll handle the rest myself.”
Her gaze bears uncertainty as my cheeks warm with embarrassment. After a moment of staring, she reluctantly nods and walks away, only to return a minute later with the very things I need in her hands.
