Sonya hesitated. ‘Erm, no. I’m staying with Azam Mirza, the stitch-witch?’
‘Oh! Azam’s a dear. We all love him.’ Sonya still felt a bit apprehensive, but Winnie waved a hand. ‘Don’t look so worried! You’ll get wrinkles.’ She winked. ‘Now tell me, what can I do for you? Are you looking for anything in particular?’
‘I was just looking around,’ Sonya said. ‘I love reading. Would you happen to have any of Mirabel Summer’s books?’
Winnie’s eyes widened. ‘Oh my god. You’re a Summer fan? Nobody in the Outskirts has even heard of her, let alone read her work, but I amobsessed. You know Artine?’
Artine was one of the old, dead languages. Mirabel Summer onlywrote in Artine. Her books were very popular in Castletown amongst the aristocracy, Mustafa always said. Sonya was surprised Winnie had read them.
‘I learned Artine when I was a girl,’ Sonya replied. ‘You know it?’ Winnie nodded, and Sonya couldn’t hide her surprise. ‘I didn’t know they taught Artine in the Outskirts.’
Winnie laughed. ‘They don’t. I’m a tongue-witch.’
‘Ah.’ Sonya knew this meant that Winnie would have an affinity for languages.
‘My father is a tongue-witch as well, and he taught me the basics, then my magic took over,’ Winnie explained, walking over to a bookshelf. Sonya followed as Winnie led her to the back, to a shelf in the corner. ‘These are all my favorites.’
Sonya saw a sign that readStaff Picksabove the shelf.
Winnie pulled one of the copies of Mirabel Summer’s books out, showing Sonya. Comfort immediately poured through her at the familiar sight of the leatherbound book. Sonya touched the cover, holding the book in her hands. She paged through, inhaling the scent of paper and dust and ink.
Then she realized something, with a start. ‘I don’t have any money,’ she said, cheeks hot. ‘I just came in to look.’
But Winnie’s face was kind. ‘You can come over any time and read the books here, if you’d like,’ she said.
‘That would be wonderful!’ Sonya said. ‘Thank you.’
‘Not at all. I’m bored out of my mind in the shop all day, and I’d be happy for the company!’ Winnie replied. ‘And you look like a calm person. Maybe you can help me quell my murderous impulses toward my father’s apprentice.’
‘That sounds fun.’ Sonya laughed. ‘I should get back now, but it was nice to meet you.’
‘Likewise,’ Winnie said. ‘May the moon and stars be with you!’
Sonya smiled at the familiar goodbye from Mirabel’s books. Winnie really was a fan.
‘May the moon and stars be with you,’ she returned, setting the book down.
She walked out of the bookshop, back into the market, and looked around. Luckily, the butcher was right across the way and easy to spot. Sonya went over, but Kiri and Dania weren’t there. She searched her surroundings and spotted them next door at a vegetable stand. Dania was munching on a carrot the size of her arm.
‘She’s back!’ Dania said, when she saw Sonya. She left Kiri’s side and latched onto Sonya’s arm. ‘Carrot?’ She offered her the carrot, and Sonya shook her head.
‘No, thank you, darling,’ she said, stroking Dania’s hair. She turned to Kiri. ‘Let me take that.’
She took the basket with the meat, while Kiri held onto the basket with the vegetables: perfectly capped mushrooms and russet potatoes, along with long orange carrots and bright green peas. Kiri paid the grocer, then turned back to the girls.
‘Let’s go home,’ Kiri said.
Holding the basket with one hand and Dania’s hand with her other, Sonya walked alongside Kiri as the little girl led the way.
The sun was setting by the time they made it back to the cottage, and the sky was a bright pink and purple, the colors mixing together like paints dancing on a canvas. Sonya stopped in front of the door, looking up. Birds flew in the air, spiraling around one another. She had never seen anything like it. The view was so different from down here.
Of course, she had seen beautiful sunsets from her tower in the castle many times, but this was something else entirely.
Kiri let them into the cottage and Dania skipped inside. Sonya followed in last, closing the door behind her. They set the groceriesdown on the table, and Sonya built up the fire again. While it was spring, the evenings were still a little chilly, and the fire was so cozy.
She went to put the drawing Dania had made her up in her room, then returned downstairs. Then, she washed her hands and went to offer her help to Kiri in the kitchen.
‘I don’t know much,’ Sonya said, a bit embarrassed. ‘But I’d love to learn if you have the patience for it.’
