Page 12 of Midwinter Wiles & Valerian Dreams
The old man arranges a pretty lapizstone to catch the light. “This would look lovely with your eyes,” he says, his voice gravelly.
Why would I want to match this ugly eye color? I must make a face, because he smiles. “Or perhaps something simpler.” He moves his hand to a row of dull but delicate chains.
“Yes, simple.” I run a finger over a few of the necklaces. “Do you have any empty pendants?”
He squints but pulls out a small box. “I make most myself. Plenty to choose from.”
Finding one that looks about the right size for Lumi’s moonstone, I pluck it from the rest.
“Do you want me to set a special stone in it?”
“No, no, that’s fine. Um, but…I don’t have any coin.”
The man reaches out to take back the pendant, but I stop him. “Wait, would you accept a trade?” I reach for my wrist, removing the bracelet there. It’s the only item still on me, the rest now stuffed deep in my cloak pocket. This bracelet is the only item Beron won't recognize if he comes looking. I got it the day before he whisked me from the palace, its newness the only reason I hadn’t grown bored with it yet. But that also means it’s the only thing safe for me to trade.
His eyes gleam. “That’s spectrolite. Where’d you get a pretty thing like that?”
My belly clenches. “Would you trade the pendant for it?”
He turns the bracelet in his hands, then meets my gaze. “I can’t trade you this for that pendant.”
A sick feeling swoops through me. I thought it would be enough. It’s all I have. If I can’t even get a simple necklace, then how am I supposed to get a room at the inn or food to eat or clothing that doesn’t look like the royal tailor made it?
“I’m not going to swindle you, girl,” the man continues. “I’ll give you a fair price for it. You take that pendant and one of those necklaces to go with it, and I’ll give you a half purse on top. What do you say?”
“I…yes! Thank you.” Relief washes over me.
He grunts and slips my purchases into a small pouch along with the coins. “Nothin’ but fair, and now you’ve coin for the rest.”
Speechless, I head to a stall selling simple clothes, selecting a plain skirt and tunic. There will be less room for mistakes if Lumi doesn’t have to mask my clothing too.
My heart is still pounding by the time I rejoin her in the trees.
“Valkie did well.”
“That man could have cheated me for my bracelet. No merchant at the capital would ever offer more than what was asked.”
“But he was fair.”
“Why? I didn’t know better. He could have bragged about the clueless girl he bested.”
“Perhaps not all would find that honorable,” Lumi muses with a hum.
Wordlessly, I hold out the necklace. Her light collects and fades into a stone in my hand. The pendant is the perfect size for the moonstone, and Lumi’s presence is warm and familiar at my throat as I drop the chain over my head. By the time I reach the inn, I feel a little more secure.
The sign for the Laisi Mula Inn & Tavern sways in the chilly breeze. Its blue and white lettering is crisp, with a donkey in the corner and whimsical flowers, fresh and inviting. By contrast, the building is dark and worn, but a warm glow spilling from the windows promises comfort.
Inside, a glowing hearth and the hum of conversations drifting from the tavern help ease the tension from my shoulders. Lumi gives a warm pulse, reassuring me.
My disguise is in place.
I have coin for a few nights of safety.
I can bathe, sleep, and fill my belly, and then I’ll figure out what’s next.
For the first time since I fled, I feel a glimmer of hope.
Chapter 5
