It was all they had to go on. He and Keena split off from them as they searched the market for someone matching his description. Dyna and Cassiel did the same. They were moving on for the Port of Azure today, so she had to find him. But as the day wore on, they had no luck. No one knew Aston.
Dyna stopped by an armory, eyeing the bows. She had tried using Rawn’s, but it was too big for her.
“These are the perfect size for you, milady.” The fae at the counter motioned to a set of smaller bows.
Cassiel picked one with polished gray wood embellished with silver. “What do you think of this one?”
It was a pretty bow, but when he passed it to her, it invited something clammy over her skin.
“I wouldn’t,” Keena said as she and Rawn joined them. “That bow is enchanted to shoot true, but it will shorten your life by one year for each life that you take.”
Dyna quickly put it back. Rawn and Cassiel glowered at the merchant, who wore a dark smile.
“Did you have any luck?” Cassiel asked them as they moved on.
Rawn shook his head, and Dyna groaned. Did they come here for nothing?
“Let’s keep looking. If you need a bow, I’ll find you a better one,” Keena offered.
Not wanting to give up yet, Dyna followed the fairy as she flew along, searching for that sly male. Keena eyed the weapons on display from other merchants, studying each one carefully.
“Can you see enchantments?” Dyna asked.
“All royal fae have the ability.” Keena fluttered around her and patted her leather chest plate. “This is good armor. Decent enchantment. It will make your natural reflexes twice as fast as they normally are.”
That caused Cassiel to arch an eyebrow at Dyna. She gave him a small smirk back.
“And it comes with no nasty repercussions, as some fae like to add to their wares,” the fairy added.
“Do the fae enchant everything?”
“Nearly so.”
Dyna removed the jacket from her satchel. “How about this?”
Keena’s golden brown eyes widened. She burst into a cloud of gold dust, appearing in front of her in full size.
“Oh yes, this especially.” Lifting the sleeve, Keena studied it closely, making the polished acorn buttons glitter in the light. She traced the distinct lobes of the silver leaves. “Someone enchanted it to turn away any spell or weapon, even the elements.”
“Like armor?”
“More of an impenetrable shield. Quite rare. I imagine your acquaintance will certainly want it back.”
They continued until the fairy stopped before another bowyer stand belonging to a blue-skinned male with black hair and short antlers. “Ah, the one I was looking for. Weyden is a little kinder in his creations.”
He grunted to her in greeting and allowed her to study the small display of weaponry.
Dyna pointed at a bow made of dark wood. “This one?”
Keena shook her head. “That one will never miss, but only if you use ash arrows. Run out, and you’ll find yourself in a predicament.” She flew to another bow, completely plain. “Perfect. Take this one.”
“Are the enchantments safe?”
“The bow isn’t enchanted. The bowstring is.” Kenna plucked it and lifted the bow by the thin strand. “Spelled to never snap.”
“That will certainly be of use,” Rawn said.
Cassiel agreed and handed the bowyer a few gold coins before Dyna could ask for the price.
