Minutes later, satchel laden with carefully wrapped ingredients and my coin purse a few gold lighter, I was content with my haul.
"I told you to be careful, you big oaf." I heard Rena's shrill voice chastise and I turned, searching for our companions. Roan nudged my arm lightly, his head dipping to the left.
Kairen and Rena were both glaring at a bashful Bran who stared down at the sand, a little paper cone of shaved ice splattered at his feet. I raised a brow as I approached the three and Bran looked up with an apologetic smile.
"We bought you and Roan some, but," he hesitated, offering out the single paper cone left, voice rueful, "it's lemon flavored."
Roan let out a grunt as he grabbed it and passed it to me without hesitation. Taking a bite, I nearly moaned as the sweet lemony ice melted against my tongue. It was heavenly in this heat. I took another bite of itbefore I offered it back to Roan with a shrug. "It's alright Bran, we can share."
Rena's eyes narrowed on me, a knowing smile tugging at her lips as Roan leaned forward, and took a bite of the ice I still held out. Brows furrowing as he pulled back, his tongue darted out across his lip before a satisfied smile settled on his face. My shock was palpable—I'd expected him to grab the treat, not eat it from myhand.
His eyes met mine and he merely smirked, his voice muttering a simple, "Delicious."
Rena snorted, patting his shoulder, "I'm sure it was," before pointing across the way. "What's going on over there?"
We turned to where a crowd had gathered. A small, colorful caravan was parked, something akin to a curtain hiding a small cutout. Children and a few adults sat idly in the sand, clearly waiting for something to happen. I watched curiously as we approached. Kairen squatted down next to a young boy with shaggy black hair and a toothy grin.
"Is there a performance happening?" He asked the child, his tone holding a mischievous note.
The boy glanced up at him and gave a slight nod. “It’s a group of travelling puppeteers. They pass through every few months with a tale."
"Do you know what the tale will be—”
"Shhh, it's starting."
Kairen's brows rose at the chastising of the boy and I had to bite back a laugh as he glanced at the group with disbelief. Yet he too settled himself in the sand and we all followed suit.
I took another bite of ice as the curtains pulled back, before I held it once more out to Roan. He again leaned forward to bite into the ice, not bothering to hold the paper cone himself. Shooting him an incredulous look he merely smiled, his eyes dancing with question.
What's wrong, little menace?
I could practically hear his teasing tone. With a huff I focused back on the show, squinting as I leaned forward.
"Long ago on the very land you sit upon, two Goddesses roamed our forests and deserts and made a home," a deep voice spoke, two puppets emerging from each side.
One depicted who I could only assume was Soli, with long black hair, ivory skin, and eyes of the finest gold. The other had to be Lua, her hair a halo of tight white curls, her skin dark as the night sky, and her eyes as silver as the stars that glittered across its expanse.
The puppeteers told the story of how the Goddesses wished to bridge the gap between the Nine Hells and their kingdom among the clouds. Of how Calzar had been betrothed to the Goddess Soli, but had instead fallen for her sister, Lua. Everyone in Tavari knew this story, had seen the tapestries and murals that depicted the blade of Soli plunging into the Demon Prince, the blazing embodiment of wrath and vengeance.
Yet it was the end that caught my attention, eyes widening the slightest bit, aseightpuppets now took the stage.
"The remaining eight demon princes of the Nine Hells sought revenge over their fallen brother," that deep voice crooned as the puppets danced and jeered. “They sought to ruin the sister Goddesses for the death of Calzar. For they knew the Goddesses loved their people, so they plagued Tavari with an illness that could not be cured.They let it ravage through our lands, turning neighbor against neighbor until hatred festered so deeply into our very souls that it has carried on for generations since."
Rena nudged me as the show ended and she stood, breaking me from my thoughts. I wanted to talk to whoever was in that caravan.
Wiping the sand from my pants, Rena and I started towards the back of it.
A girl with hair as grey as worn steel stared up at me with hostile brown eyes, yet she couldn't have been older than fifteen. She wasLuanthian.
"Hello," I greeted her with a warm smile. “Are you the one who did the show?"
She frowned and raised a brow. “Do I look as if my voice is that deep?" She let out an exasperated sigh. “My Pa does the shows, I just help out where I'm needed."
"I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about the tale that was told? Or maybe I could talk with your father?"
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously before glancing behind me, her features twisting into disgust. I followed her gaze, landing on...Roan. The girl had been eyeing the golden tattoos that littered his neck and hands, before her gaze drifted to the ones that peeked over the collar of Rena's shirt.
"My Pa says I'm not to talk to the likes of you," she snapped, standing up as she hoisted the bag she'd been packing. “And he just left to get some things, so you're out of luck."
