“Alright, let’s try this one more time. In three – two – one—”
A gasp went through the crowd. The Solstice tree in its forty-foot glory shone like the sun in the market square, the lights reflecting on the silver ornaments and twinkling in the tinsel like diamonds.
There was a slow, awed applause that built into a cheer that went on and on.
“We’ve done it!” yelled Gwenla. She pulled everyone she could find into a celebratory hug. When she reached Charlotte,she pulled her in too. “I’m so glad you’re here, love,” she whispered to her.
Charlotte looked out at the crowd behind Gwenla. There were so many people here, all of them brought together to celebrate the holiday. Everyone had someone.
Everyone except Julian.
“Come on,” said Finnli. “It’s lit now. Can we go see Mr. Blair?”
“Let’s go,” said Charlotte. Gwenla was busy greeting all the well-wishers. Charlotte was sure she wouldn’t mind her watching Finnli a bit longer.
“Mr. Blair!” yelled Finnli as they approached Julian. “Would you do the coin trick again?”
Julian looked much more joyful in the glow of the new ‘lectric lights. He smiled broadly at Finnli. “One more time. Then I’m going to have to find a new trick, or you might think me a one-trick pony.”
“I think you’re a human, not a pony,” said Finnli.
“There’s no fooling you,” said Julian. “Alright, there’s nothing in my hand.”
Julian held up his hand and turned it over, showing nothing concealed.
“But there’s something here behind your ear,” he said, reaching behind Finnli’s left ear and retrieving a silver coin, which he tossed to Finnli.
Finnli squealed. “How do you do that? Is it magic? Will you show me?”
“A sleight of hand, but I can’t reveal my tricks in front of an audience.” He gestured to Charlotte then pulled Finnli in conspiratorially. “Come by my shop next week,” he whispered loud enough for Charlotte to hear.
“Okay,” Finnli whispered back even louder. Then he spotted something beyond Julian’s shoulder. “Hey, Michael! Want to play coin flip?” Finnli ran off in the direction of a human child.
“Don’t go too far,” called Charlotte. Finnli waved back, staying just within sight at the edge of the crowd.
“I think he stole your silver,” said Charlotte to Julian.
“He’ll bring it back. He’s a good lad.”
“What do you think of it?” asked Charlotte, gesturing to the Solstice tree.
“It’s not my first time seeing the lights. But they never had a tree that big in Arcas Dyrne, not even at City Hall. Not even at the castle.”
“You’ve been to the king’s Solstice festival?”
“Just the once,” said Julian. “Last year, before my father was released. I was in a festive mood.”
Charlotte already knew how that had turned out for him. “And now? Has coming out here gone as you hoped?”
Julian shifted his weight, considering how to answer. “In some ways, yes. The village has taken to the shop like I hoped they would. But I’ll admit that there are things I didn’t see coming.”
Charlotte felt her pulse quicken. Perhaps he was coming to his senses at last. Perhaps he was beginning to see the harm he was causing the bakery, beginning to consider what he might do to end the feud. “Like?”
“Like you,” said Julian.
Well, that was fair enough. Not what Charlotte was hoping to hear, but it was fair.
“I never thought I’d see you again. There was a time when I hoped for it. When they didn’t find your…body. I went looking myself, you know.”
