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Korinnae’s fork clattered onto the plate. She spun toward Ria, her whole face lighting up. “We’re going shopping, woohoo!”

“I heard,” Ria grinned.

Asterion pinched the bridge of his nose.

After picking up one of the company SUVs from headquarters, Ria drove back to the house for Asterion and Korinnae. As she adjusted the mirrors, Korinnae climbed into the back seat and immediately pressed her face to the window. Asterion slipped into the passenger seat beside her, crouching down low to fit his massive body inside. Thankfully the interior of the SUV was much roomier than it seemed, though his horns nearly scraped the ceiling. He remained silent and didn’t complain, but the set of his shoulders gave away his discomfort.

The drive into the city center took about fifteen minutes. Alindale reminded Ria of a smaller London, with its cobblestone roads, older stone buildings standing next to newer ones made of steel and glass. A river cut through the middle of the city, too, though unlike the Thames, it was the color of sparkling sapphires. The sidewalks, however, were just as busy as London. A pair of satyrs in business suits—well, the top portion anyway as their lower halves were covered in thick fur—crossed at an intersection, coffee cups in hand, while a centaur waited at a bus stop on the same corner, scrolling on his phone. A family of what Ria thought might be harpies ushered three small children across a crosswalk, the littlest one rushing across the road as she tried to climb a lamppost.

“Wow!” Korinnae pointed at the shops dotting the riverbank. “They have ice cream! Can we get some, please? “

“After shopping,” Ria said.

“Promise?”

“Yes, promise.”

In the passenger seat, Asterion watched the outside world without any comment. Ria looked over at him a couple of times, trying to discern what was on his mind and what he thought of what was probably a strange new world for him. From what she’d gathered, minotaurs were isolationists and his clan even more so. They lived like hermits, or rather, like luddites who instead of shunning technology, refused to have anything to do with magic and the world outside their little territory. Curiosity pricked at her, wondering what he thought of this place he was forced to live in. But whatever was on his mind, he kept it to himself.

Their first stop was the Alindale Bank’s main office. Ria and Korinnae waited in the car while Asterion went in alone. He marched out fifteen minutes later, a large brown envelope under his arm. The SUV heaving under his weight as he crowded inside once more. “Let’s go.”

Ria turned back to Korinnae in the back seat. “Should we get clothes first?”

“Yes!” the calf said enthusiastically. “I want a dress, and purse, and a hoodie, and all of them should have sparkles and glitter.”

Asterion huffed at the last two words.

“One sparkly thing,” Ria said.

The calf mulled it over. “Alright. For now.”

The shopping district wasn’t too far away from the bank and sat along a wide pedestrian street next to the river. She parked the vehicle in a side lot and the three of them walked toward the main retail area. Korinnae trotted up half a step ahead of them, her head turning at every window display. They entered the first children’s clothing shop and Korinnae disappeared into the racks within seconds, pulling things out enthusiastically.

“These!” Her arms held various kinds of clothing, from a green jacket to a pair of sparkly pants.

Ria snuck a glance over at Asterion, who only shrugged. “Alright, let’s try them on.”

“But they’re already perfect,” the calf whined.

“Still, we need to see if they fit.”

Korinnae huffed but marched toward the fitting room. Ria leaned against a display table near the entrance of the changing rooms and watched Asterion who had stationed himself by the entrance, arms folded, scanning the shop with watchful eyes, like he was expecting someone to just burst in and tackle him to the ground. When the shop assistant approached to ask if he needed help, he said No in a gruff tone that sent the poor woman scurrying away.

Korinnae emerged in the glittery pink pants and blue shirt. “Well?” she called out to her uncle.

Asterion looked at her. “Fine.”

“Fine?”

“They fit.”

Korinnae’s face fell for a moment, then glanced over at Ria.

“You look great,” Ria said. “Turn.”

She grinned, then did a little spin.

“The pants are good,” Ria continued. “How’s the shirt?”