Page 5 of Veiled in Stars and Silver
He raised an eyebrow. “That is all? This is fairy dust, miss. Not some homemade concoction to cure your granny’s warts.”
My heart sank. Eighteen pounds was a decent sum to offer. I now wished I hadn’t bought the potion. Then again, I doubted adding the sovereigns I’d paid that woman would change his mind.
The man watched me, tugging on his colorful robe. “Have you nothing else to pay… or trade, perhaps?”
My dagger. But if the dust was real, then the blade had served its purpose, and it would be well worth the trade. If it turned out to be fake…
Gritting my teeth, I pulled out every one of my throwing knives, a complete set, and laid them out on the small table next to the stool on which I sat.
The man snorted. “You think I want lame kitchen knives in exchange for magical fairy dust? How about that dagger you have tucked under your cloak? Nowthatis worth trading for.”
“How did you—”
“Is it a deal or not?” The way he tapped his foot belied his impatience.
I had no choice. He was the first person who had the very thing I was searching for. I unstrapped the dagger from my waist and laid it out on the table.
The man smiled and clutched his prize, while pushing the bag of fairy dust toward me. “Pleasure doing business with you, miss.”
As soon as the trade was complete, he grew more impatient. I tried stashing my throwing knives in my cloak, but he scooped up the rest and shoved them at me, motioning for me to leave.
“I’ve more customers to tend to before the end of the evening,” he said.
I stowed the last of my knives as I stepped out of the tent, the little bag of fairy dust tied securely around my wrist. A smile crept across my face. I was about ready to explode. Finally,finally. Six years of searching had paid off. Barely ten steps outside, and I had to take another look. I drew the drawstring back and peered inside.
Something was wrong.
The golden shimmer that the dust had given off mere moments before was a plain, dusky brown. It appeared as if someone had scooped soil from one of the street plants into the bag, chunks and all.
My smile faded. No. My plans. My revenge.
My brothers.
I scrunched the bag and threw it to the ground, a rage gathering in my stomach. That scroungy so-called salesman. He'd tricked me.
And he’d taken my one tool to detect magic. The cool metal of my throwing knives brushed my arm. That swindler didn’t realize who he was dealing with. I spun around and raced back to the tent.
When I entered, I paused in shock. Everything was gone. He couldn’t have packed up and left that fast. I ran to the rear and found an exit. Pushing through, I saw the man running down the backalley. I plowed ahead, my wide-brimmed hat catching the wind and flying from my head. My skirts tried to ensnare my legs. Luckily for me, he was old, and his peg leg slowed him. Its dull thudding echoed off the cracked concrete. I pulled a throwing knife, feeling the familiar weight as I gripped it between my fingers. Taking aim, I released it, and it sailed past the man, nicking his ear.
He gasped and picked up his pace.
I drew another knife. “The next one goes between your shoulders.”
The man paused, raising his hands. He turned, the jeweled dagger clutched in his fist, a sheepish expression on his face.
I walked up to him, my knife still at the ready. “Give it to me.”
“I ain’t never seen a woman throw like that,” he said as he handed over the dagger.
I took it, strapping it securely to my waist, before also stowing the throwing knife in my cloak.
The man’s face clouded. “Ah, miss. Are you sure we can’t work out a deal? Now I’m gonna lose all that money.”
“Money?”
“From my buyer.” The bright robe he wore faded, revealing dirty and ragged clothing that hung off a wiry frame.
I reached into my money pouch and drew out a pound, dropping it into his palm. “For information. How did you do magic?”
