Part of him wanted to argue, but it was stupid.Yet another thing the leading group did to control the masses.Life was harder without paper products, and while he didn't need baking cups, he often wished he had a notebook.
She narrowed her eyes."I want this."She held up the brass set, then clutched her fingers tight around it again as if she'd refuse to give it back.Others weren't allowed to withdraw money from their accounts--the selected few who had accounts--so they had to go to the bank to finalize the purchase.There were no other customers in the shop, so he could close for a few minutes."Want to go to the bank?"
Her eyes widened."You'll let me invoice?Thano said humans don't invoice breed when Tuur argued about missing out on money when leaving the board."
Eli tried to sort out what she was saying.Let her invoice?"If we hurry over to the bank now, I don't think there will be a problem, but if there are customers in the shop, humans can't leave to make the transaction at the bank."He hoped it was a sufficient enough answer.He could pop over and only be gone for a few minutes, but if someone wanted to buy something from someone in, say, Fisherman's Lake, it was a whole different matter.Plus, he was sure Thano was right.Most humans didn't want to do business with the others.
"What's your name?"
"Fala Moonlight."
He nodded and turned the key in the cash register."Let's hurry."He put up a wooden be-right-back sign and locked the shop door.Fala was still clutching the measuring set, but Eli didn't care.No one had wanted to buy it the entire time he'd had it.
The bank was empty of customers, and it only took a few minutes to make the transaction.Eli noted the bank adding a fee to Fala's withdrawal he'd never seen them do when he did something similar with a human, but he kept his mouth shut.Fala was happy, which was all that mattered.Or maybe not all.He wondered what would happen if the others grew tired of being discriminated against.It could mean the end of them all.Though, only those who'd been on the board had accounts at the bank, so maybe he didn't have to worry.
* * * *
Thano strolled down the main road with a broody Tuur by his side.The human members of the board had been thrilled to see them resign with immediate effect.Or not all.He believed he'd noted some reluctance in Charles Riggle.
As they walked in silence past the bank, the door opened, and Fala and Eli stepped out.Fala was bouncing and clutching something shiny in her hand.Why was she with Eli?
"Fala."He dipped his head in greeting, then he focused on Eli to try to decipher why he was with her."Eli."He nodded at him and got one in reply.
"I have to hurry back."Eli gestured toward the shop.
"Of course."Thano made a sweeping gesture with his arm, giving him leave despite Eli not being one of his people.He watched him go, then turned back to Fala."What were you doing with Eli?"
She held up the set of metal cups in different sizes and beamed."Shopping.Look how shiny."She moved the cups to catch the light.
"Pretty."Thano forced a smile.Crows!
"What is it?"Some of Tuur's grumpiness lifted as he studied the cups.
"Eli said it's something to use to measure when you cook or bake."
"You don't cook."Tuur frowned.
"I'm gonna make cupcakes for Romeo."She clutched the measuring set to her chest.Thano didn't point out she needed ingredients to bake.She was happy about her purchase, so he'd leave it for another occasion.
"Did Eli have that in his shop?"Thano couldn't remember there being anything other than food in his shop, but Last Hope didn't have a general store.Where did people buy their things?On market day from each other, perhaps.People came in from different settlements on market day.
"Yes, he was hiding it away by the counter.Had put lots of things in a basket to hide the shiny, but I saw it."
"You have a good eye."Thano gave her another nod.
"Which is my good eye?Both my eyes are good."
Filling his lungs, Thano then slowly let the air out."It's an expression, means you're good at seeing things others might miss.I suspect several people have been in Eli's shop today, and no one else spotted the shiny."
She nodded and her hair transformed into feathers before she reversed the shift and took on a fully human form again."I want to fly home with my treasure."
"It's not too heavy to carry?"Sometimes he was amazed by how much the crows could carry.
"No."Feathers washed over her hands.
"Okay, we'll bring the dress back."
This time, she didn't halt the change.It only took a second or two before the form of a human woman had melted into a crow.She pecked at the measuring cup with her beak before picking it up and taking to the sky.
