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She raised a thickbrow. “What do you need that for?”
“Do you have it?”
“Yes.” She looked like she was going to object, but got up from her seat nonetheless to a shelf of spherical terrariums. There was a secret compartment underneath, from which she handed me a folded piece of paper.
“What do you need it for?” she asked again, but I had already crossed the beaded curtain.
Sudden knocking at the front door stopped me in my tracks.
“Open up. Royal business.”
Miriam walked over. She peered out of the narrow slot, then withdrew with a frown. “I really hope this has nothing to do with you.”
I didn’t answer as she opened the door. Soldiers dressed in the purple of the Royal Guard marched in, towering over the witch’s short frame. If Miriam was intimidated, she didn’t show it.
“Hello, gentlemen. May I interest you in some snails? Buy two and get a terrarium free.”
The leader, a man with a very long nose and large feet, motioned for the other guards. Three of them began to search the shop.
“We’re here to look for evidence of witches or witch-related items,” he said, looking down at her. “Meanwhile, I need you to answer some questions. Have you come into contact with any witches recently or in the past few months?”
Miriam gasped. “Witches? My goodness, sir! You don’t expect an old woman like me to meet any witches and survive the encounter,” she said, pulling her shawls tighter around her shoulders. “I merely sell my little pets for a living.”
The guard looked around the room, cringing visibly. No doubt he was thinking the same thoughts I had when I first stepped foot in Miriam’s shop. “I see. Then do you have any useful information about the whereabouts of the Witch Market?”
She pressed her fingers to her lips. “You mean that awful place where curses and poisons are bottled and sold like raspberry jam?”
“That’s right.”
“I assure you, sir, if I knew anything of it, I’d go to the authorities straight away,” Miriam said, looking earnestly at the guard. “I do not sleep easy knowing there are witches out there selling such heinous things.”
The guard grunted and shook his head. “Unfortunately, it is the world we live in, madam,” he said.
I figured why Miriam was made guardian—she was an impeccable actress. As the guard asked her another question, I inched toward the doorway, desperate to leave. I had been gone for longer than I wanted. No doubt Karen already tattled to Narcissa about my absence.
But as I was about to cross the threshold, I came face to face with Ash.
