But only by a few minutes.
The town was in an uproar of joy. Each shoppe had their tents up for display—save for Mabel, who hadn’t managed to set up her library booth. I made a note to check in on her later.Folk tittered and chattered for hours on end, and by midmorning, we sold out of everything (save for the squash). Soon enough, flower boxes were bright and cheery again, pumpkins rested outside cottages, and Giddy set up an open hearth where she was prepping courgette-based pies and pastries.
Angus taste-tested each creation with a sparkle in his eye. Giddy’s cheeks remained blushing.
By afternoon, a cold wind started blowing through the square, seemingly at odds with the blaring sun. A few of Charles the blacksmith’s wind chimes tinkled ominously. The chill didn’t dampen Dwindle’s warmth, though. They kept on chatting and celebrating. But then everyone’s tents began to jostle, scattering our wares. We all jumped to catch the bits and bobs that were falling over. A gray cloud blotted out the sun, casting the market in a dim gray.
For a moment, my heart skittered in my chest. Could this be Eldrene? Perhaps she really would steal me away. I didn’t think I could bear it. Dwindle had crept into my bones, uprooting everything. To leave it so soon felt like leaving a beginning in favor of an ending. And the old Clara would have much preferred that—there is stability in a happy ending. But this place had many more chapters to read, more gardens to plant, more friends to make, more love to have.
If—when—Eldrene did come, I would just have to tell her that I meant to stay for a bit longer. Then, I would plead on my knees for Hesper to be freed of her bargain, but I would deal with that later.
“Another storm be rolling in it seems!” Bortie called out in the midst of the crowd. I hadn’t even noticed that Thandor and he had finally left their tavern and were passing out pints.They were expert at fading into the background, mostly so they could collect gossip discreetly. But there they were, holding trays high into the air and squabbling with each other in between serving.
Another gust of wind blew through the town, sending the precariously placed pints to the ground. Glass shattered everywhere.
“Fret not!” Murt busted out of his flowerpot with a miniature broom at the ready. “I’m on cleanup duty today! Keep marketing, I’ll have this cleaned in no time!”
My magic toppled in on itself, sensing and waiting for something. I kept checking and rechecking my surroundings.
“Is everything all right?” Hesper asked, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.
“Something feels off,” I replied, reorganizing the squash for the third time in the last few minutes.
A harried squawk filled the air. The screech stilled all of Dwindle.
Edge.
Hesper ducked out of the tent, a look of fear in her eyes.
“What is it?” she called up into the sky.
“The Prince, madame! The Prince is—”
Edge, to my horror, fell out of the sky. Whether from sheer exhaustion at his journey or from an unseen attacker, I did not know. Hesper caught him before he could meet his end.
And then darkness fell upon Dwindle.
The lights went out; the soul wounds went untended; but still, she hoped.
—opening line attempt 941
The crowd went into an uproar, frantically trying to understand what to do, where to go, how to escape. But there was no escape. Dwindle was ripe for the picking, and the Prince was coming. They would have to go through Shadow Woods or Irk Road to even hope to evade this onslaught, which put them in even more danger.
We were all sitting ducks.
Anger shot through me at the thought. All this time, Edge had reported no sign of Thanadyn. He must have gone into hiding, gathering what smidgen of power he had left only to descend upon this town when it rose back up on its feet after a century. How dare he? I would have none of it.
My magic purred at the anger.
What do you think you’ll be able to do?I asked my magic.Grow another squash mountain to topple on top of an ancient Prince?
Perhaps, my magic said.
Impossible, I replied.
“To your cottages!” commanded Hesper, herding folk into their homes, offering words not of condolence but assurance she would do everything she could to ensure their safety. She had fought off legions of shadows, but what about the Prince himself? Would she even stand a chance? Helplessness took over. How could we not have known?
“Clara! With me!” A large hand grasped mine and pulled me from the cacophony. I turned to wrench myself free but saw Mabel there, running wildly through the crowd. Had she been here all along?
