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Chapter 1
Today was a day like any other. There was no reason to rise in the morning, nor any hope for tomorrow when night fell. I pulled my dress on and examined my weary face in the dirty mirror, wondering if happiness had ever gleamed in my ashen eyes.
The man I’d loved most bequeathed to me suffering and left me behind in the dust, stealing away my chance at life.
Five paces worth of space; that’s all my home could fit. Grabbing my bag from the tattered mattress, I slung it over my shoulder and fussed with the door’s broken lock before finally throwing it open and stepping outside.
Ikaria was a beautiful city—ifyou lived near the center. Here on the outskirts, mud-mired water stained the wooden shacks resting precariously on the edge of waterways.
Most people who lived here rose before the sun had fully ascended the sky, traveling in groups to the city’s sprawling farms. Deeply tanned and aged beyond their years, they looked no more eager to greet a new day than I did.
Stepping onto the rickety wooden bridges spanning the channels, I followed my usual path to the central market square. Smiling insincerely at everyone I passed, I gathered my thick curls into a bun and rehearsed today’s lines in my head.
With every step, the rickety walkways gave way to solid stone bridges, the waters cleared, and the buildings grew in height and width. Lanterns strung over the channels glimmered on the water’s surface, like beacons guiding me home.
Market square was filled with fools looking to spend their coin. Colored awnings flapped in the wind over merchant stalls, peddling anything you could imagine. Finding the empty stall covered by a bright blue canopy, I dropped my bag and spread out my wares.
Exotic youth serums, carefully bottled in pretty glass jars. In truth, they were nothing more than a concoction of cheap ingredients I could cobble together in a couple of nights.
But people feared few things more than age, and with the right words and smile, they would buy anything to halt its advance.
Flipping my sign to begin the day, I leaned against the stall and cracked open my coffer. This gig had paid dividends, but it wasn’t enough.
Nothing would ever be enough. Every cent I earned fell into another’s hands, leaving me with scraps. Flipping my coffer closed, I leaned on the stall and prepared for another long day.
Those with wealth were seldom early to rise. The sun crested the sky before people began flooding the market. My eyes swept over the crowds, searching for those in silken dresses decorated with golden jewelry. Those who could afford to splurge on vanity.
A clean-shaven man in an expensive doublet sauntered over and glanced over the jars before meeting my eyes. “Still running this scam?”
I quickly eyed his collar and found a crest hidden beneath it: a chalice overflowing with golden water. A Guild member.
“Taking care of oneself is no scam,” I answered with a smile.
Unamused, he pressed his palms against the stall. “Pack up for the day.She’sgot another job for you.”
A Guild member would only articulate ‘she’ for one woman.
“Pack up?” Gulping, I stood straight. “I already set up shop, and-”
“The lady’s word is law, Aethra.” His eyes darkened. “Come with me.”
Shoulders slumping, I swept my jars back into my satchel and flipped my sign back over. Grabbing my bag, I jogged to catch up with the Guild member who’d already turned and walked away.
“Do you know what she wants?” I asked.
“No,” he answered shortly.
Friendly fellow. Falling into silence, I walked behind him, noting how he led me deeper into the nobles’ district. Grand manors occupied enormous plots of land, surrounded by protective moats. The last time I met with Laverna was in a dockside warehouse, nothere.
Guiding me to a white manor trimmed with black, the Guild member paused at the iron-wrought gates to speak with the armed guards before waving me inside. I stared into the moat’s waters as we crossed the verdant gardens.
“Wait here,” the Guild member ordered, stopping by a patio. “She’ll be with you shortly.”
Nodding, I watched him walk away before dropping my bag on one of the benches. Folding my arms, I paced between two flowering hedges, trying to guess what Laverna wanted.
The woman owned me. I owed her a staggering debt—one a king would balk at paying. My mentor, a secretive man named Ainwir, had kindly withdrawn a ridiculous loan, dropped the paperwork on my head, and promptly disappeared.
