Chapter 2
The market was buzzing with people. Stalls of different sizes took up most of the town square, all trying to sell merchandise of varying condition.
The smell of meats, fruits, and leather hung heavy in the air, intensified by the burning sun above. I curled my hand into a fist as my stomach released a growl that resembled the sound of a wolf.
I skimmed the stalls and wagons for goods, aware of the small number of coins in the purse tied to my belt.
A rundown wagon with a faded green covering caught my eye. The merchant was polishing a leather brace. He wore gloves. They matched the exact shade of his skin, making them almost unnoticeable.
Catching my stare, he flashed a set of moldy-looking teeth, gesturing for me to come closer. As I neared him, his face fell when he spotted the holes in my cloak.
“Do you sell gloves?” I asked, ignoring his indiscreet disappointment.
He glanced down at my covered hands. I tugged them into my pockets. “Gloves? In this fine weather?” He put down the brace and polish to fold his arms over his scrawny chest.
I lifted my brows and untugged one hand from my pocket to point at his covered hands. Then I stepped closer to the stand, fingering the beginning hole in my right glove with my thumb.
“How much?” I asked, accidentally unravelling the thread. I had to get new ones.
“10 for these,” he answered, pulling a brown pair out from under the counter.
I shook my head. “I need them in black.” Brown would stand out in the darkness, and I needed to be able to be invisible. My long trousers were almost too tight and stubby, but gloves would have to be my first priority.
When Lili had a growth spurt last year, I bought her a whole new set of clothing, including shoes. It almost drained our savings.
The man pulled out a black pair, clicking his tongue doubtfully. “These are more expensive. Black gloves are all people want at the moment.”
I shot him a look of disbelief before scanning the crowd around us. People wore shorts and shirts and definitely no gloves. As it never actually got cold in Erobred, very few people owned winter clothes. This man had to live off the outrageous prices he charged people who needed the covering.
“Really?” I said in mock interest, returning my attention to the man. “Here I thought thin linen fabric was all the fashion these days. Luckily, I’m not a designer, or the whole city would be wildly unfashionable.”
His gaze narrowed, and he was no longer smiling. “Don’t talk back to me, girl. I have many friends that can make you disappear.”
My pulse quickened, but I leaned in closer. “Is that an offer? I’d love nothing more than to escape this blazing city.” Placing my hand over the gloves, I persisted. “I’ll buy these for eight.”
His eyes flickered as he bared his teeth. “Price just went up to 20.”
I leaned in further, speaking in a hushed voice and ignoring his foul breath. “Eight gold, or the Defenders might catch wind of a certain darkcaster dealing in their markets.” I let the threat hang in the air for a moment before pulling out eight gold coins and placing them on the counter.
The art of haggling often depended on how well you danced the line between negotiating and threatening. Lose your nerve, and you’d find you’d lost the deal. You couldn’t be afraid to play dirty.
“Fine,” he hissed, grabbing the coins and pushing the gloves roughly toward me. I measured the size against my own, nodding in satisfaction.
The man counted the coins, but I didn’t bother to wait for his dismissal.
I stalked toward the big tent at the far corner of the market, stuffing the gloves into my bag.
That bag was one of the only things I had left from my parents.
I stroked a thumb over the golden thread creating the moon symbol in the front.
The sun became steadily hotter as I pushed my way through the crowd. Taking notice of the Defender standing by the entrance, I ducked around to the back instead.
I barely suppressed a yelp as I peered through the tent flap. A piercing eye stared back at me, making my breath hitch in my throat. Before I could react, a hand shot out and seized the front of my shirt, yanking me inside.
“I saw you near the entrance,” Annora whispered in a hushed laugh, giving me a wink. Sighing in relief from seeing the familiar friendly face, I shook my head.
“You almost gave me a stroke,” I breathed but couldn’t suppress the chuckle slipping from my lips. “Always so observant.”
The sight of her smile calmed my pounding heart, though it faded into a serious stare that didn’t suit her otherwise warm demeanor.
“You have to be more careful, Prue,” she said, jamming a long fingernail into my arm. “Why would you come to the market on the busiest day of the week?”
I rubbed the place where her nail had dug into me. “I’ve kind of lost track of the days, Ann.” I gave her an innocent smile.
The smell of fresh fruits and vegetables were torturous to my empty stomach, and it gave another growl in indignation. As though she could hear the untamed beast in my belly, she grabbed an apple and tossed it to me.
I caught it, biting into it gratefully as I muttered a ‘thanks’ through a mouthful. Then she began to roam through the big pockets of her white apron.
I looked around the oddly empty tent. The Defender guarding the entrance had his back turned, facing the crowded streets.
His blond, curly hair had no silver strands, and the back of his neck was smooth.
He must’ve been younger than most of the king’s soldiers.
Though every lightcaster trying to prove themselves became Defenders these days.
The uniforms they equipped these people with were supposed to evoke a sense of terror. Keep the people in line. I thought they looked idiotic.
The flimsy, white linen shirt wouldn’t protect them from a blade, or even a set of sharp teeth. I supposed they thought no one would be stupid enough to attack them. To my annoyance, they were probably right.
Only their torsos were protected with heavy black and gold leather vests.
Annora let out a deep sigh that pulled me from my thoughts and tried handing me a little notebook. “Take this.”
I looked at her with my brows slightly raised. “I don’t need a diary.”
She hit me on the arm with it and waved it in my face. “Just take it.”
I took it and flipped through the pages. It was a calendar.
She reached over to flick to a specific page and jabbed her finger on a date. “This is today. Mark it.”
I bent down and swiped my thumb across the ground to leave a fingerprint on the date. July 14th. Ann rolled her eyes and shook her head, making her red curls bounce.
“Can I pay for this or what?” a rough voice called from behind us.
Looking around, I saw the grump who now waved at Annora with a large cucumber to gain her attention. She shot me an exasperated glare over her shoulder as she walked to the counter.
I cracked a smile. The man narrowed his eyes as his attention drifted to me.
“Not overheating in all those clothes?” he asked, tilting his head menacingly as his eyes fixed on my gloves. The realization showed on his face, twisting it into a gleeful grimace before he roared.
“Why are you covering your hands? Surely you aren’t cold,” he demanded. His loud, rough voice attracted the Defender’s attention immediately. Panic clouded my judgement. If I ran for it, Ann could get in trouble. Though not as much as I’d be in if I stayed.
I caught her eyes, only to realize she was already staring at me, then flicking her eyes to the exit. I took the hint. Get the hell out of here.
Spinning on my heels, I jolted out of the back, barely hearing the outrage from the man and the Defender behind me.
“Stop her!”
I forced myself to run faster. People jumped aside and yelled profanities at me as I sprinted from the market, the Defender on my heels.
If he caught me, it’d be over. I would get arrested, and Lili would be alone. I couldn’t let that happen.
A glance over my shoulder told me I had a small head start. But I knew I wouldn’t be able to outrun him. I had to outsmart him.
I threw the apple behind me as if that would save me. Way to outsmart him, fool.
A yelp escaped me, and I threw my body to the ground just in time as a whip of blinding light barely missed my arm. It snaked around a stall, pulling it apart with frightening force. . I suppressed a shudder, imagining what that whip would’ve done to my body.
I caught a glimpse of the Defender’s face as I got back on my feet. His features were blurred from the distance, but it was hard to miss the determined look on his face, illuminated by the golden orb levitating just above his open palm.
I scanned my surroundings for the quickest way out, though the people around me made it almost impossible.
Perhaps I didn’t need the exit. I only needed to disappear from sight.
I started to run again, my eyes darting from one stall to the other as I shot past them.
Not a single booth seemed suitable to hide me.
Whipping my face from side to side, I tried to find anything that could help me escape. I shrieked as a large hand grabbed my wrist, forcing me to stop. Desperately, I tried to tuck away.
“Prue, it's me,” a hushed voice whispered into my ear, and I spun around. Archie.
I looked up, seeing his face inches from mine, his eyebrows furrowed. “Come on.” He seized my hand and dragged me towards the exit as he bolted.
“Archie, the Defender. If he catches you helping me…” I trailed off as he shushed me, speeding up.
We broke through the crowd, reaching the edge of the market at last.
To our left was the river, running all the way through town. We’d most likely hit a dead end that way. But if anybody knew that side of the city, it was Archie. On our right the hill turned steep, and I didn’t think my legs could carry me much longer.