“Spicy?Moist?” Gallina held a parcel at arm’s length with a bemused look on her face.
“Youdidn’tput that on there!” exclaimed Fern, with a sharp look at Viv.
Viv shrugged. “I think you said I should write ‘passionate’ and ‘love,’ but I thought it was worth the experiment.”
“Oh, hells, yeah, this soundswaymore interestin’,” said Gallina. “And I don’t even read.”
“What are you doing here, then?” Viv gave her a flat look.
“Browsin’. Also it looks like you got sweet buns, so…”
“Forpayingcustomers,” said Viv.
“One bun with every sale,” added Maylee with a grin.
“See, you still owe me that story though, remember? So, it’s kinda like I already paid.”
“You won’t sit still for me to read it to you. So now it’smyturn to propose a deal. I’ll pay for what’s in your hands, and then…” Viv plucked one of the lassies out of a basket. “You get your bun. And we’re square.”
Gallina looked from the parcel to the bun with a speculative expression. “Fine. But mostly for the bun.” She shifted her gaze to Maylee and said in a loud stage whisper, “She’s shit at reading out loud. Put me right to sleep.”
Viv sighed and fished thirty bits out of her wallet, dropping the coins in the cash box. She tossed the bun toward Gallina, who whipped a dagger from her bandolier and speared it with a sassy smirk. She took a deliberate bite out of it and waggled the package at Viv. “I can prob’ly come up with a use for the paper, too,” she mumbled through her mouthful.
“Rackam likes the literate!” Viv called after her as the gnome hiked toward The Perch.
“It’s a good bun, Maylee!” hollered Gallina over her shoulder.
“Highlark!” exclaimed Viv.
“Ah, Viv, what a relief to see you idle and not leaking all over everything.”
“Uh, this is Fern.” She laid a hand on the rattkin’s shoulder. “Thistleburr is her shop. I don’t think you’ve met.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” said Fern as she finished depositing some coins into the cashbox.
“He’s got almost as many books as you do,” said Viv.
“A bibliophile?” asked Fern, brows rising with interest.
“She exaggerates my collection,” replied Highlark, inclining his head. “Mostly reference texts. I confess, this is a charming idea.” He ran a forefinger down the front of one of the bundles. “Treachery,alchemy, andbrotherhood. Intriguing.”
“Pretty literary stuff in that one,” said Fern.
“You’ve read them? All of them?” asked Highlark, in apparent surprise, as he gestured across the tables.
“Not exactly. But I’ve read all ofthose. Do you like Tensiger?”
A more genuine smile bloomed on Highlark’s face than Viv had ever seen. “You might even consider me a bit of a fan.”
Fern tapped another bundle. “Then this one might be of interest, too.”
When the surgeon finally departed, he had three bundles under his arms and a bun in his teeth.
As the horizon began to burn red out over the sea, the tables were well and truly picked over. They hadn’t sold everything—maybe only half—but Fern had needed to take the cashbox inside to empty it when it became overstuffed with coins. The entire endeavor had been wildly more successful than Viv had imagined it might be.
Maylee had left shortly after delivering her contribution, and now the baskets sat empty on the tables, nothing but crumbs lining their bottoms.
Viv carried them down to Sea-Song, returning them to Maylee with Fern’s thanks, a murmured sweetness, and a promise to visit the following morning. She wanted to make up for yesterday, but it would have to wait until they were alone.
