The place doesn't look like much. The walls are a simple beige, with newspapers and photos of both the tropical beaches and the snowy mountains of the Lluvia Kingdom taped on them. The Gift for Water herself, also named Lluvia, has her own photos, with her white coily hair and pale skin. The corners of the restaurant are a little dusty and only four tables fit in the space.
The food makes up for that completely. I bought a plastic box of omnia rice, with cod and peas mixed in. The flavors of garlic and sourness of lemon make each bite addicting, and the soft buttery rice is the perfect texture.
I scoff it down like my life depended on it. Some people even side-glance me when they come in but I continue feasting.
As I chew, my mind drifts. It’s odd to be using Amias' money that he gave me. It feels like I'm dependent on him.
The thought earns a sneer. I wonder why he hasn't done something to get things back. I mean, he gave me so much; a place to stay, a phone, food and that's just naming a few. He could probably make me homeless again if he really wanted to… fordisrespectinghis kingdom or whatever excuse he could make up. He could definitely turn me into the police!
Maybe he's a little genuine after all. He's not vengeful, which is more than I can say about people at home. The ache of regret soaks throughout the rest of my body. Was I being too hard on him? I mean…he seemed to be making an effort to see if I was right. If he ended up agreeing with me, he would be going against what he's known his entire life. Against the only world he knows.
In that case, he's braver than everyone else in this kingdom for hearing me out. Especially since he didn't hand me in to stop thinking this way.
I scowl at those thoughts. It doesn't excuse him. He had evidence right in front of his face. And he's the grandson of Amara! What kind of dumbass would I be to tru-
"—dreamscreechers! Can't you believe it?"
I snap my gaze to the group of girls that walk into the restaurant. All of them are wearing cropped tank tops and jean shorts. They all have the same makeup caking their faces, same orange skin, same jewelry, the only differentiator being their hair color. Three of the four girls settle down while one of them goes to the cashier.
"Oh my Cosmo, really?" One brown haired girl says in a high pitched nasally voice. She reeks of arrogance.
"Yes! I wassoworried about her!" the blonde-hair girl says, her voice just as irritating and arrogant. "I almost had to send her to the mental hospital. Her family thankfully got her to agree to a cleansing and she'lllikebe better in a few days."
I raise a brow and slow my chewing. A cleansing ceremony?
"I can't believe Meghan would say something to disrespect Amara." A black haired girl responds. "How could she accuse Amara of lying?"
"I know,right?" The blonde shrugs. "She's justsodumb."
"Well at least after her cleansing, she'll be reborn," the brown haired girl replies. "Dreamscreechers are wicked vile creatures and that's a fact!"
"I don't even know why we keep them all alive! We should have just killed them all centuries ago!"
Now rage boils in my stomach. I stop chewing completely. What gives them all the idea that we should all be killed?
Oh yeah. Amara herself. Amias’ grandmother.
The blonde speaks. “Exactly! Then we won't have to worry about them. We could justlikepoison their water supply and get it all over with!"
Poison?
I jump up from my seat, swallowing whatever’s left in my mouth. My tongue tingles, begging me to say something.
I suck in a breath as the girls laugh and chat away about killing our people. My muscles want to burst from my skin when I finally give into my urges. "You really think the solution to all of this is to poison them all?"
They all turn in my direction, all of their eyes narrowing. "What?" Blonde hair hisses.
"You really think the world would be better if you just killed a whole group of people, most of which have done nothing to you?"
Brown hair stands up and slams her hands on the table. "They've tried everything they could to kill us! If all the kingdom could come and kill us, they would!"
I clench my teeth. "No, they wouldn't! If they all really wanted to destroy this kingdom, don't you think they would've already? What's preventing them from doing that?"
"Are you crazy, girl?" The black haired girl snickers. "You need a mental check."
My heart punches at my chest, like it would burst and fight her itself. How fucking dare she? “I'm not the one who needs a mental check."
"She needslikea real cleansing." The blonde girl rolls her eyes, with a little smirk. "Better get it done before they force you into a psych ward…"
