Chapter 79 - The Smell of War

Zeila Port

The western wind howled as the team approached Zeila—a wind that carried the scent of the sea, the stench of death, and the faintest traces of spice. Akumu and Tiriki dismounted a mile outside the port, hidden among thorny acacia bushes and dry brush.

The soldiers took the wagon into the city, carrying wares and questions. Meanwhile, Akumu and Tiriki slipped through the crags and dunes like shadows.

Zeila was no longer the proud trade hub it once had been.

The port had grown bloated with vice. Smoke stained the whitewashed walls. Banners bearing the crescent moon and star hung beside those of the Sultanate, but none flew clean. Pirates wandered the streets in packs, their laughter too loud, their blades too loose. The city smelled of sweat, salt, and rotting ambition.