Page 13 of Gilded Locks

Without missing a beat, the man switched the vial for something else.

“Ice from the base of Mount Nix, which none can climb. Unaffected by heat. One hand-sized chunk can keep an entire meat room chilled for years.”

The hairs on Grace’s arms stood on end as she examined the angular chunk of cloudy white ice.

Mount Nix was the largest deposit of mystic ice on the continent, jealously guarded, and unclimbable. It had inspired the Protectress, last of the old sorcerers, to craft the enchantment on the ring of ice around the golden crater in the forest fortress hundreds of years ago. Journal entries suggested ancestor Protectors had investigated the mountain. The mystic and enchanted ices weren’t exactly the same, but they looked identical.

What if the vendor had it wrong? Was this actually the piece of ice Mr. Milner had stolen all those years ago?

Grace reached for the ice. Was there Zerudorn gold inside?

She halted suddenly and looked behind her.

Garrick Clairmont was still there, watching her out the corner of his eye.

She couldn’t investigate the ice with him there. Her mind whirred, looking for an explanation for her interest.

“Fascinating,” Grace said. “That could be useful for cooling rags. I’ve a harvest approaching—many hours in the beating sun. But I’d like to browse your other wares first.”

“Of course, of course. I’ll set it aside for you.”

“But I thought we couldn’t afford anything,” Russell blurted.

Instantly, the vendor’s smile soured. He tucked the ice away and shifted his attention to Garrick. “Can I help you, sir?”

Garrick stepped up beside Grace, validating the vendor’s assumption that she and her brother were no longer worth his time. Curse the Clairmonts.

Grace stomped down her bitterness. “We have enough if the item is worth it,” she said, more for the vendor’s sake thanRussell’s. She needed the man to be willing to sell the ice once Garrick left.

As Garrick and the vendor conversed quietly, Grace pulled Russell to various cabinets inside the tent, unwilling to leave him alone. She scanned with focus and speed for more ice and anything that could pass as gold, but her search revealed nothing worthwhile.

Grace sighed.

Suddenly, a deep voice whispered her name over her shoulder. “Grace?”

Grace jumped and turned around.

Garrick averted his gaze. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Grace narrowed her eyes. “What do you want, Garrick?”

He coughed and flicked his eyes toward the vendor, who stared daggers at Grace and Russell. “The owner was muttering about thievery. He seems to suspect you.”

Fire flooded her cheeks as she glared at the vendor. “We are not thieves, so he has nothing to worry about. Russell!” Her brother froze in place, hand out toward a mirror studded with tiny glass domes full of mystic water. “I told you not to touch what isn’t yours. Come on.”

Russell followed, a bit chagrined. “Do we have to stay till the end of the day? It’s so boring here. Maybe Father’s all done.”

“That’s enough,” Grace hissed, eyes darting toward Garrick, who was following them out of the tent. He must have heard Russell. Would Garrick understand what had just been revealed? Father could be thrown in jail. Sun above, the entire family could be.

Her brother was going to be the end of the Protectors.

In the street, Grace wove quickly between shoppers and made a few quick turns, hoping to lose Garrick before continuing their shopping. There was no way she’d spend the rest of the day witha Clairmont watching over her shoulder. Nothing good came from interacting with them. Her mother had learned that from the few months she was courted by Garrick’s father in her early adulthood, before she’d fallen in love with Grace’s father, and before Sheriff Clairmont had caught and hanged Mr. Milner. The sheriff’s kind smiles turned to sneers, or worse, when he grew angry.

Grace had learned of the his viciousness for herself while standing on the Ferrers’ porch the day after they’d fled. She shivered, remembering his hot breath on her ear as he detailed the consequences that awaited outlaws found alone. It took effort, but she shook away the memory.

Eventually, Grace didn’t see Garrick anymore. But relief remained elusive—The danger wasn’t gone, but just now she couldn’t deal with the damage her brother might have done. She needed to finish gathering sufficient food and resources to support her family during the hard work of harvesting with enough left over to store under their dining room floorboards for next month’s distribution.

“Ugh,” Russell moaned.

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