Curses by Lish McBride

Author:Lish McBride [McBride, Lish]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781984815590
Google: KHQFEAAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1984815598
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2021-07-19T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

THE SPINNAKER

Though it was midmorning and the sun hung bright and cheery in the sky, in this area of town, the tall, close buildings kept anyone on the street from noticing it. They also blocked the breeze, causing the stench coming out of some of the alleyways to linger. The cobblestones were worn, but spotted with rubbish and broken bits of things, making Tevin wish he could buy shoes for some of the children running around. Through innovation and magecraft, humans were spreading into the nicer neighborhoods now open to their new wealth. The reverse wasn’t quite the same. The poorer sections were overwhelmingly human.

Amaury doffed his bowler—worn only under protest—at a passing group of gentlemen. From their clothes and demeanor, it was obvious that they were young fairyborn lords, slumming it with humans and looking for adventure. Though it wasn’t early for Tevin, it was still early for them, making him think they were heading home after a night of carousing. There certainly was no good reason for such a group to be down among the pigeons, as it were. Even Val’s lip curled in disgust at their attitude. Then she shoved her hat further down, covering the tips of her ears. Val didn’t want to be associated with them, even if they were as far from her as apples from wagon wheels.

The gentlemen glanced at Amaury, sniffed, and turned away, a genteel response so bred into them that it looked choreographed. Which meant they didn’t notice when Amaury palmed two of their money purses, handing them to Tevin, who tossed them to a pair of street urchins. The boy and girl didn’t question their luck, and instead disappeared down a nearby alley.

“Tell me again why we’re here?” Tevin handed over a couple of coppers to a flower girl, tucking a fresh pansy boutonniere into his buttonhole before handing a similar one to his brother and another to Val.

“We needed to chat, and I didn’t care to do it in a house full of people we don’t know.” Amaury stopped to purchase an iced bun.

“And I need ammunition,” Val said. “There’s a shop down this way.”

“You could have picked somewhere nicer,” Tevin said.

“I feel quite comfortable here.” Amaury licked icing off his thumb. “Besides, we have Val, and Val has her pistols.”

“Really, Amaury? You just ate.”

Amaury held up a finger, stepped back to the baker’s stall, and bought two more buns. He shoved one into Tevin’s hand. “And yet I’m able to buy a bun for no reason except that it’s delicious and I want it.” He held the other bun up and waited. “You can’t hoard every single copper, Tevin. Sometimes you have to enjoy what you’ve got.”

Val snatched it from him. “Bless the dancing fairy lords and their tiny shoes,” she groaned as she took a bite. “That’s good.”

“Val,” Tevin chided. He reached over and wiped her mouth with his handkerchief.

“Leave off.” Val batted his hands away. “I’ve got some gossip from the dance.” She took another bite.

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