CHAPTER 57
Ieased into the bath, the lukewarm water carrying the soft scent of lavender. The last time I properly bathed was in the thermal baths on Mistgeil Island, and that was about a week ago. And the only body of “fresh” water I encountered since then was filled with skulls, bones, and monstrous snakes.
“Mmm.”
A knock came at the door, causing me to jerk out of my unwinding trance.
“I’m hungry,” Marshen’s voice carried.
Ghh! He’s such a baby.
“Give me five minutes,” I shouted.
After a well-deserved lunch, we strolled along the strip, the ambience of Dunehaven slowly settling in as people swarmed around us. I had forgotten how exuberant and vibrant this place was, but the market stalls that started to pop out from everywhere, and the musicians playing on either side of the road, quickly reminded me.
We came across Feder’s stand. The men talked about something I had no interest in, so I took it as an opportunity. “I’ll be right back.”
I looked for her, sauntering along the market stands, looking at the tempting variety of merchandise.
There she is. I recognised her hair, wrapped up in a colourful cloth. She was also wearing the same exaggerated earrings. I approached her book stall.
“Hey, I don’t know if you remember me, I was here—”
“Oh, I do remember you. But only because I remember that husky golden man with green eyes who came asking about the book you wanted. May I dare say, good god, girl. What a catch.” Her drawled comment stunned me. My lips were unsure whether to curve up or down.
“Relax, girl, he’s not even my age,” she said, smiling broadly, as if she wanted to show me her wrinkles forming at her eyes and at the sides of her mouth. “Are you looking for another romance?”
“Uh, no. I wanted to ask if you have something about the history of Ramel. I heard about some legend, the Unnar Caves. Do you have anything on that?”
“Oh, yes, theUnnar Caves.” She said their name with a low, raspy voice as if she was about to tell a ghost story by a campfire. “Let me see what I have.”
Minutes later, she returned carrying two books.
“May I see?”
She handed them over and I looked at their covers. I put one aside and went to open the other, but the lady grabbed hold of it, slamming the hard cover shut. “Ah-ah,” she said, snatching it away.
“What? Can’t I look at it?”
“You can look at it as much as you like after you purchase it. This is a bookstore, not a library.”
“You want me to judge a bookjustby its cover?”
“And its description on the back. I can also tell you that this one is ancient and written in Earthen, whereas this one contains fables and short stories,” she said, pointing at one book, then at the other.
“How much?”
“Ten silvers for both.”
“Seven.”
“Nine.”
“Eight.”
“Fine.”
“Where have you been?” Marshen grumbled as I approached Feder’s stand. “No, no, don’t tell me. Was it a book stall?” I rolled my eyes at him. “I was between bow and book, but I don’t see any bows, so…”
