The gate creaked as we pushed it open. The luxurious smell of lavender and rich, silky fabric smacked me across my face, leaving me frozen on the spot. People dressed in ankle-length tunics of reds and purples, headdresses filled with jewels, and golden bracelets running the length of their arms criss-crossed the street in front of me. The smell of roasted chicken and lamb on skewers filled the market. I wiped the drool from my chin, it wasn't until then did I realize I was starving.
I turned and found Alvinne and Maybel sitting under an open tent, shoving roasted chicken into their mouths.
"Hey, where did you guys get that?" I asked. "Did you steal it?"
"No. That man gave it to us!" Maybel grinned, gesturing at the man running the market stall.
He turned to me and handed me a giant chicken leg like he was passing out food at a family dinner. I thanked him, and sank my teeth into the fresh meat until there was nothing left other than its bones. I wiped my hand on the purple fabric of the napkin, which seemed more expensive than anything I ever owned. Yet, the texture of the cloth seemed familiar to me.
The sun had dropped lower in the sky, and I pulled myself to my feet, knowing that we should probably get on with our journey. Alvinne and Maybel followed as I looked around for any landmarks. Scurrying past the clothing shops and silver lanterns, I stopped short in front of a marble statue of Zeus. I turned to look back at Alvinne and Maybel.
"What's wrong?" Alvinne asked. "Don't tell me . . ."
"It's Zeus," I said.
"And . . ."
"It's Zeus. He was there, in my dream, on a street that looked just like this one."
Alvinne looked at me, open-mouthed. "Are you sure you haven't been here?"
"Not any more."
I walked up to the statue and scanned the street. I knew every inch of it, exactly where to go. The castle was up the hill, to the left, and straight across the moat.
"Oh, we are famous!" Maybel shouted.
"What?"
"Look!"
All three of us stood there looking at the four wanted posters plastered on Zeus' back end. We were wanted.
"Uh, not famous," Alvinne said. "Infamous."
"Is that your necklace?" Maybel pointed to the picture of an aquamarine rectangular stone strung on diamond-like chain.
I just stood there, frozen, until Alvinne slugged me in the arm and I almost fell over.
"Hey!"
"It's your necklace," Alvinne said, looking around to see the same guards I did coming up the roadway. "Get up. We've gotta get out of here now."
I did what she told and sprinted up toward the castle.
"Why are you going toward the people who want us in prison?" Alvinne shouted.
"I need answers. This is where the answers are."
I turned and started running.
"Samael!"
I whipped around and saw Maybel being dragged into an alley. My eyes shot up and down the street until they landed on a pair of shoes dragged through a doorway. I would've known these shoes anywhere. My feet pivoted on the spot and I thought I would sprint up the hill. A pair of leather-gloved hands clamped over my mouth and a burlap bag went over my head.