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Chapter 23

By the time he reached the city walls, Rory's throat felt rough and scratchy, and it was painful to swallow. He knew instinctively that his body needed water, like nothing else mattered. And his stomach was as empty as a drum.

When Rory stumbled into the city, he couldn't believe how savagely humans lived. He heard the low hum of humans shouting and animals braying, but he could smell them from hundreds of feet away. When he stepped through an opening, it was like stepping into a chaotic school of tuna. Huge, rumbling carts pulled by large beasts rumbled past him, knocking him to the ground, which was filthy with dust and refuse. People pushed and shoved, hurrying from one place to the next, as if someone were chasing them. Merchants cried out from various stalls, and children ran screaming through the streets.

Rory grabbed the nearest human.

"Water," he gasped. "Please, where can I find water to drink?"