“When it’s finished, I will find you.”
She only had to evade her father a little longer.
Lucenna cast her glamor and strolled out the door with a smile as she made her way to the stairwell at the end of the hall. The heels of her boots clacked on the wooden steps as she made her way down quickly, excited to start the day. She reached the first-floor landing, only to ram into a boy running up the stairs. He fell with anoomph.A cluster of rolled parchments flew out of his satchel, scattering at their feet.
“Pardon me, madam,” he said, hurriedly gathering them up. “I forgot to mind meself.”
“It’s fine.” She helped him up as he adjusted the cap over his ginger hair. “Where are you off in such a hurry?”
“Work, madam. Time is money.” He grinned and eagerly offered her one of the rolled-up parchments. “Daily news? Only five russets.”
“No, thank you.”
“Are you sure? It’s full of juicy gossip, and it lists the highest bounties the city has ever seen.”
She smiled at his efforts. He couldn’t have been older than twelve years old. “I’ll do without, but here is a russet for your trouble.”
He accepted the copper coin gratefully. “Thank you! You be careful now, madam. Lots of dangerous folk about.”
With that, he scampered up the stairs, most likely to sell the rest of his parchments to other patrons.
Continuing on her way, Lucenna strolled into the empty and quiet lounge. It carried the scent of fresh bread and cinnamon. Sunlight streamed in buttery shafts through the tall windows. Several round tables were set around the vast room, with a bar along the back wall. There were a few patrons seated as they ate their morning meals. Barmaids carried trays of food and hot pots of tea. Zev and Rawn sat at a table in the center.
“Good morrow,” she said as she slid into the seat across from them.
Zev mumbled a greeting before shoveling a pile of fried eggs and sausage into his mouth.
Rawn set down his spoon in a bowl of porridge and smiled in welcome. “Good morrow, Lady Lucenna. Did you rest well?”
“I’m afraid not. My room was on the second floor.”
“Mine was on the fourth,” Zev said between bites. “I slept great.”
“How wonderful,” Lucenna retorted playfully. She couldn’t help the smile that wouldn’t leave her.
Rawn chuckled. “Deprivation of sleep did not hinder your pleasant mood.”
“I received excellent news today,” she said as a barmaid came by to pour her a cup of tea. Lucenna asked for an order of cinnamon bread and fruit to accompany it.
“What news?” Zev asked her after the barmaid left.
Lucenna continued to smile while she sipped her tea. She wanted to enjoy the news for a while before she told them.
Before Zev could press further, a couple of old men seated at the table next to them were having a conversation that caught their attention.
“Did you hear? Rubin swears he saw a Celestial flying over the city last night,” the bearded man said to his scraggly companion dressed in fine furs.
“What bollocks. Was he drunk again?”
“Aye, damned sozzled. He couldn’t stand straight without falling into his shite.”
“There hasn’t been a Celestial seen in these blasted parts for five hundred years. They’ve all returned to Heaven’s Gate.”
The bearded man grunted. “Right, but Rubin kept wailing that if he had a pint of divine blood, he could have saved his children from the pox. Sad loss it was.”
The other grumbled. “Blast, if I had some divine blood, I could sell it for a chest of gold instead of meandering across the kingdom hawking furs. Imagine if Celestials existed and established trade again. We’d all be better off for it.”
“Poor old bastard. He must have seen a griffin or a great bird.”
