Page 5 of A Filling of Fables and Firelight

Rana’s nose scrunched in distaste and she shuddered dramatically. “Heavens, no.”

“Ah. An old woman can dream, I suppose.”

“Even if I did, there’s no way the judges would allow a seamstress to participate.”

Teta snorted, helping herself to a square of candy. “You may be a seamstress by trade, but your blood is just as worthy and respectable as anyone else who might enter. Let’s not forget that my Ali was a vizier and your father’s father was the head of the Merchant Guild—not to mention the fact that your employer’s wife is a foreign princess.”

“All of which, I’m sure, pales in comparison to the fact that I work for a living.” She held up a hand as her grandmother opened her mouth to argue. “Which I am perfectly happy with, as I’ve said before. Besides, entering the Queen’s Contest comes with the risk of being married to the Sultan, and I don’t think either he or I would be very happy with the arrangement. He wouldn’t know the meaning of a day of hard work if it hit him with a camel’s spit.”

“Maybe the two of you could learn from one another.”

Rana shook her head. “I don’t think I want to learn anything that he would be able to teach me. Besides, it doesn’t even matter, since I won’t be participating.” She looked at her grandmother sharply. “This whole conversation isn’t your way of saying that you submitted my name, is it?”

Teta brightened. “Was that an option?”

“No.”

Zade lifted his head at her raised tone, looking back and forth between them before standing, stretching, and curling himself up again against Rana’s leg.

“He’s a handsome, intelligent man. Your children would be beautiful.”

Objectively, Rana could agree with the first part of Teta’s statement. The Sultan was every woman’s dream—or at least, what she assumed was every woman’s dream, based on the number of gushing reports she had heard over the years—with thick black hair, dark gray eyes, and a smile that was rumored to make women swoon on sight.

“I didn’t realize the attractiveness of my future children was a consideration,” she responded drily.

“I just want to see you taken care of. I’m not going to live forever, you know.”

“I am taken care of.” Rana ran her fingers absently through Zade’s soft fur. “That’s what the job is for.”

“I’m speaking of your heart, not your body. There is more to your well-being than what money can buy, child. When I’m gone, who will keep you company?”

“Can we stop talking about your death?” She stabbed and pulled the needle with a little more force than was necessary.

“It’s inevitable.”

“But not imminent.”

Teta leaned forward, placing a soft hand on Rana’s knee. “But it will happen, and when it does, I don’t want you to go through it alone.”

“I won’t be alone. I’ll have Aida and Dan.”

The house suddenly echoed with a loud banging from the front door. “Rana!” Jasper’s voice rang out.

“And Jasper,” Rana added as she set her project to the side and stood. The banging continued as she left the sitting room and crossed the tile floor of their pleasant, modestly sized home. She pulled the door open just as Jasper’s fist was about to make contact. He stumbled forward a step with the momentum and was only kept from falling as Spot grabbed a mouthful of his shirt.

“Can I help you?” she drawled.

He straightened, giving her an offended look. “Why didn’t you answer?”

She gestured to the open door and leaned a hip against the frame. “I did. I just didn’t bellow like a water buffalo spotting an oasis. Now, how can I help you?”

Jasper pulled a missive out of the pocket of his dark blue vest and handed it to her. “Here.”

Rana looked at it curiously, noting that the scarlet wax that bore the royal seal had already been broken. “I think you can get in a lot of trouble for opening other people’s mail, Jasper.”

“Oh, it wasn’t for you,” he responded breezily, resting a hand on Spot’s head. “I was supposed to give it to Dan.”

“Then why do I have it?”