Page 1 of Starlit Bargains

Chapter 1

Marketplace Mishap

Kai Everwood was one hundred percent certain that Silas had sent him on this errand just to get him out of the way. Not that he minded. Thornhaven had grown stifling over the past few weeks, with Thorne's endless lectures about responsibility and Silas's sudden obsession with organizing the entire workshop catalog. A shopping trip—even one that involved a half-day's journey to a village that technically wasn't supposed to exist—beat sorting through dusty spell books any day of the week.

The hidden village of Mistwood sprawled before him, a hodgepodge of crooked buildings and winding streets that seemed to have been designed by a drunk architect with a fondness for puzzles. Wooden structures leaned against each other like old friends sharing secrets, their weathered facades painted in fading colors that had once been vibrant. Strings of small, glowing orbs crisscrossed overhead, creating a canopy of soft light despite the afternoon sun.

Kai shifted the empty pack on his shoulder and grinned. The air smelled of spices, unfamiliar herbs, and something vaguely metallic that tickled the back of his throat. Magic, but differentfrom the clean, disciplined energy that permeated Thornhaven. This was wild, untamed—a little dangerous, even. Perfect.

“Right,” he muttered to himself, unfolding the crumpled list from his pocket. “Dried moonflower petals, silver sage, witch hazel bark, and... what the hell is dragonsbane ash? Is Silas trying to poison someone?”

A group of children darted past him, giggling as they chased what looked like a small, translucent fox made of swirling mist. One of them bumped into Kai, nearly knocking him over.

“Sorry, mister!” the child called back without slowing down.

“Watch where you're running, or you might find yourself turned into a toad!” Kai shouted after them, his voice light with amusement. The children shrieked with delight at the empty threat and disappeared around a corner, the misty fox trailing ghostly blue wisps behind it.

Kai shook his head, still smiling. He'd bet his favorite dagger that not a single one of those kids was entirely human. Not that it mattered much in a place like this, where the boundary between the mundane and magical world was tissue-thin.

The marketplace occupied the center of the village, a sprawling, chaotic mass of stalls and tents arranged in concentric circles around a massive, gnarled oak tree whose branches stretched out like protective arms. Its leaves shimmered with an iridescent glow, reflecting light that didn't seem to come from the sun. Beneath it, vendors hawked their wares with enthusiasm that ranged from bored indifference to aggressive salesmanship.

Kai meandered through the crowd, stopping occasionally to examine curious trinkets or peculiar ingredients. He passed a stall selling what were allegedly “genuine phoenix feathers” (definitely dyed chicken feathers), another offering “mermaid tears” in tiny crystal vials (salt water with glitter, if he had to guess), and a third where a solemn-faced woman claimedto read fortunes using nothing but the pattern of freckles on your skin.

He couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. This was exactly why he'd insisted on coming instead of Silas. His best friend was brilliant but frustratingly earnest—he'd have spent hours debating the ethical implications of fake phoenix feathers with the vendor instead of simply moving on.

After nearly an hour of searching, Kai finally spotted what he was looking for: a weathered tent at the edge of the marketplace, its canvas a faded purple adorned with silver symbols that seemed to shift when you weren't looking directly at them. The wooden sign hanging from the entrance post read “Madam Wisteria's Botanical Remedies” in elegant, flowing script.

Inside, the tent was larger than it appeared from the outside—a simple spatial expansion charm, nothing special but effectively done. Shelves lined the walls, packed with jars and pouches of varying sizes. Bundles of dried herbs hung from the ceiling, filling the space with a heady mixture of scents. Behind a cluttered counter stood a small, hunched woman with iron-gray hair pulled back in a severe bun, her sharp eyes following Kai's every move with undisguised suspicion.

“Can I help you?” she asked, her tone suggesting she'd prefer not to.

Kai flashed his most charming smile, the one that had talked him out of trouble more times than he could count. “I hope so. I need a few things for my... teacher.” The word felt strange on his tongue—Silas was his friend first, mentor second, and only technically his teacher when they both remembered it.

He handed over the list, watching as the woman—presumably Madam Wisteria herself—scrutinized it through a pair of small, round spectacles that perched precariously on her nose.

“Thornhaven,” she said, not a question but a statement, her eyes flicking up to study Kai with renewed interest. “That pretentious little prince sent you?”

“You make it sound so formal,” Kai replied with a laugh. “But yes, Is that a problem?”

She sniffed disapprovingly. “Not a problem. Just unusual. Your kind typically think you're too good for our little village.”

“My kind?” Kai raised an eyebrow, amusement tugging at his lips. “You mean devastatingly handsome wanderers with excellent taste in outerwear?” He gestured to his travel-worn cloak, which had definitely seen better days.

The ghost of a smile flickered across her face before she suppressed it. “Comedians, apparently.” She turned and began pulling items from various shelves, muttering under her breath as she went. “The silver sage is fresh in, harvested under the blue moon. That'll be extra.”

“Of course it will,” Kai muttered.

She shot him a sharp look. “You want quality or not, boy?”

“Quality would be nice. So would not having to sell my kidney to afford it.”

She slammed a jar of silvery leaves onto the counter. “Thirty silver pieces.”

Kai choked. “Excuse me? It's dried leaves, not liquid gold.”

“Blue moon harvest,” she repeated, as if that explained everything. “Once every three years. Take it or leave it.”

“Highway robbery is what it is,” Kai argued, leaning forward across the counter. “Fifteen, and I'll throw in a genuine smile of appreciation.”

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