Chapter 2 Page 11 - Shopping Time! Part 2 Mati and two lamias chapter 22 by The Reaper

Mati handed over his credit card with a sigh that was more amused than burdened. The total was surprisingly high—between the massive, premium-fleece hoodie and the shimmering opal necklace, the "Cloud Kingdom" had certainly lived up to its name in terms of pricing. He watched as the clerk carefully bagged the items, the cashier's eyes drifting occasionally to Emilia's towering presence and then back to the small, white fluff-ball that was Emily.

"There you go. All set," Mati said, taking the bags. He felt the weight of the purchases, but as he looked at Emily, the cost seemed irrelevant. He reached over and helped her fasten the necklace around her neck, the iridescent stone resting perfectly against the white fabric of the hoodie. The opal seemed to glow with a soft, inner light, shifting through a spectrum of colors as Emily moved. "There. Now you're officially a treasure-hunting cloud."