“Three at once, mercy me,” she muttered. “Be right with you!” Georgina called, removing the broom from my hands andushering me away from the front of the shop while bundling me into my coat.
“I’ll have the new candles delivered to Father later on. They’re not set yet.” There was urgency in her face as she pressed a jar full of an oily black substance into my hands and opened the back door. She all but shoved me by the shoulder over the threshold.
“I’ll tell him. Thank y—” I stumbled into the cold alley, barely fast enough to keep from getting caught in the door as it slammed behind me. Reaching up, I grazed the back of my head with my fingers, dismayed to find the strands even shorter than she normally trimmed them. I quickly pulled up my hood, the jar of colorant for my hair sloshing around as I slid it into my pocket.
My steps were heavy as I moved down the alley. I didn’t want to stay out in the cold, but I longed to do something other than return straight to the church, to have somewhere to go other than the places I ran my normal errands for Father Morton. At least in the warmer months I could spend some time in the woods foraging or collecting flowers and pretty rocks.
Though being warm in the cozy vault below the pews, surrounded by the glow of oil lamps, parchment, and ink was definitely preferable to remaining outside in the bitter winter wind alone.
I glanced at the alley-facing window of the apothecary as I passed, surprised to find someone looking back at me. Silver eyes held mine from behind round wire-rimmed spectacles, an unfamiliar handsome face with sharp features and tidily cut dark hair staring back at me.
My heart thudded too hard, too fast, and everything in my body felt prickly, like when my leg fell asleep because I’d been sitting too long. I forced my feet to keep moving, my expression to remain neutral. Heat washed over my skin followed by ice,panic taking hold as I rounded the corner and doubled back along the front of the building toward the church. I walked as fast as I could without outright running, careful not to bring any additional attention to myself.
I was absolutely certain that the beautiful man in the apothecary window had never been to this village before. I also knew that he’d seen me clearly; he’d looked directly into my eyes. I’d even felt his gaze follow me all the way down the alley.
The thing I was most sure of, was that he was no man at all. He was a demon.
And I had no idea whether that meant I was in more danger than usual or not.
Chapter 2
Tap
“This is not what we agreed to, Seir.” Anxiety over being so far from home gnawed at my nerves.
“You need a little adventure now and then,” my brother replied, an irritatingly excited grin on his mouth as he tugged me along by the hand like we were children. His breath puffed out in front of him as he spoke, and the cold air bit at my cheeks. I burrowed my hands farther into the pockets of my coat, which unfortunately was not meant for this kind of deep chill. “So do I, for that matter,” he added. “Come on! What harm could it do? Coltor is watching the gates, and we won’t be gone that long. Besides, I was sent on a very specific mission to find some of these plants for Hailon. You know I can’t stand to disappoint her.”
I sighed. There was no arguing with that. The Fates had chosen well in his wonderful mate Hailon, and if she’d actually made a request, it was worth my brother pursuing.
“What are we searching for in Vincara then?” I asked, looking around at the small village he’d brought us to. “Have we come to visit the monastery? Shouldn’t we have brought Vassago along,if so? Or taken the closer portal? The only thing nearby is a small village.”
“So where in Vincara are we then, brother?”
I frowned at him. “This doorway lies in the forest on the outskirts of Aymonroux.”
His head turned my direction as we made our way toward the center of town, a devious grin on his mouth. “Here I thought I might be able to surprise you with our destination. Clearly, you’ve wandered further from the crossroads than I thought.”
I scoffed. “You were trying to stump me? Did you not think I could identify the specific doorway we traveled through?” I frowned, confused by why he hadn’t seen the flaw in his plans. “I would recognize any of them, even if I don’t visit what lies on the other side even a single time.” His eyebrow raised as though in challenge, and I dug in, frustration brewing. I couldn’t tell if he was just trying to get a reaction out of me or being serious. “I knowallof them. It’s myjob. Has been for centuries. You know that, right? It’s very important to me that you know that, brother.”
Seir laughed, the sound free and easy, a plume of breath hanging on the air in front of him. In many ways, I envied the lightness he’d always carried. He dipped his head in friendly greeting to one of the townsfolk who glanced our way while my skin tingled at the sudden attention.
“I might have my moments, but I’m not acompleteidiot, Tap. Of course I know that. There’s just so many now, I thought I might be able to surprise you, is all.”
“Imagine my relief.” I pushed my glasses back up my nose and glanced around as Seir paused at a storefront window, the painted golden lettering scuffed and faded. “An apothecary? Rylan couldn’t procure what she needed?”
He shrugged. “Hailon came to me with her list, so I assumed not. Maybe she didn’t ask him.” A broad smile reappeared on hismouth; clearly Seir liked the idea that she’d skipped asking our very well connected archmage brother in favor of him. “I tried all the places in Revalia and Emankor I could think of, but none had what she wants. One of the merchants recommended I come here.” He pulled a scrap of parchment from his pocket, a list of several items in clear script upon it. I followed my brother into the store, the scent of herbs and earth heavy on the warm air.
“Be with you in just a moment,” a gruff voice called from the back of the store.
Seir waited at the counter, reading over his list with a pensive expression. I was drawn to the back wall, where bouquets of flowers rested in baskets, tied up and wrapped, ready for gifting. As it was barely past the turn of the new year, I couldn’t help but wonder how they managed to keep such a variety of fresh blossoms for sale.
“Interesting place,” I muttered to myself, pausing with a fingertip on the petal of a light-blue hydrangea as movement outside the dirty windows caught my attention. Across the alley, someone quickly exited through a shop’s back door, fingers feeling along the back of their head before they pulled up their hood. I couldn’t tell if I was looking at a man or a woman; the simple trousers and heavy coat gave no sense of figure away. They walked toward the apothecary, hands stuffed in their pockets, frowning. My breath caught when bright lavender eyes rimmed with smudgy lashes met mine through the glass, but they didn’t slow their stride. I stared as long as I could see them, transfixed, blood rushing loudly in my ears and a strange crushing sensation gripping my chest. In response to the increase in stress, I turned the ring on my index finger around and around with my thumb. My heart had jumped to a fierce, rib-pounding beat, and I rubbed my hand over my coat in a useless effort to slow it.
It seemed it really was best I remain at the crossroads unless leaving was absolutely necessary.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Can I help you?” the gruff voice said, breaking me out of my reflection. I turned to find Seir stiffly reciting the names of several plants. I slowly walked over to join him at the counter. The portly, aged shop owner diverted his attention from my brother to me as I approached. “Sure, I can get those for you.” He glanced between us, gaze calculating. “Won’t be cheap though. Several of those items are rather rare. I’ll need guarantee of payment up front, I’m sure you understand.”
Seir set a single silver coin on the counter, making a point to jingle the pouch he kept in his pocket. “We’re good for it. But I’m afraid I must insist that we see the items before I pay the balance.”
