36

William's POV

As I walked with Ava, I tried to keep my mind focused on the task at hand.

“The port was a bustling hub of activity, with merchant ships coming and going, carrying all sorts of exotic goods from the far reaches of the world.” I looked around. “And yet, despite the chaos and noise, there was an unsettling feeling of stillness in the air, as if everyone was just going through the motions.”

I had left Thomas to oversee the ship's unloading, trusting him to handle the logistics while I set off to find Mallam Abu's place.

“Who's Mallam Abu?” Ava asked me suddenly.

“He seems like a large commodity seller on the surface, but he’s actually one of the biggest suppliers of slave labor to Europe.” I heard Ava gasp at my reply.

We pushed our way through the crowd of sailors, travelers, and merchants. It was a maze of tents and stalls, with vendors hawking their wares from every direction.

“So, where's Mallam Abu?” Ava asked me as I scanned the stalls.

“I don't know…” I saw a