Cinders: Necessary Evil (Magic Mirrors Saga Book 1) by Sky Sommers

Author:Sky Sommers [Sommers, Sky]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sommersby OÜ
Published: 2020-12-21T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16. The Witch

Grace

We made it home late, but still before Peter. The next day, Ella disappeared to her Godmother’s, whether it was despite everything or to have a shouting match, I don’t know.

Just as well, I’ll have a bit of time to reconnoitre and check if my story has taken root.

I take Henry along with his tiny wagon with me - just in case he gets tired - and head out.

First, I head for the butcher’s.

The local women look me up and down.

If I get scorn, Ella is a harlot.

If I get questions, our charade worked.

‘Mistress Goodall, back so soon? Happy with our goods and service, I hope,’ the butcher’s wife asks.

Good news travels fast.

I smile, ‘Oh, I am. You always have the freshest cuts and fair prices,’ I say and get a smile in return.

‘Unlike Ailmsworth?’ she asks, burying the hatchet into a sizeable side of something.

‘You’re the fairest of them all,’ I say and mean it.

She chuckles, ‘Clever, sending Ella ahead to find out how things work and who charges what, I bet nobody suspected a thing,’ she comments and I nod.

Our story has worked.

Ella can still marry well.

‘You know, you gave me an idea to do something similar.’

‘Who will you be using as the shadow buyer?’ I enquire, out of politeness than real interest.

‘Is that what these sneaks are called?’ she chuckles. ‘Now I have never known you to gossip, but I’m sure you’ll understand if I won’t tell you.’

I nod, ‘Of course. Besides, you haven’t even had time to ask your would-be sneak just yet,’ I wink at her.

‘What’ll it be today?’ she asks.

‘Oh, what would you suggest?’ I ask, not needing anything.

I got everything I need already.

Buying something would be a simple courtesy.

After all of ten seconds of inspecting and choosing, I take the paper-wrapped tenderloin cuts and am on my merry way.

Just as I turn to leave, I see a familiar gypsy skirt darting round the corner of the butcher’s shop.

I sigh and head out back.

‘And here I thought you were doing so well,’ I say to Grizelda as she comes out of the back door.

For a second she freezes, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. ‘Heh-heh, you caught me, I guess…’ she tries to make light of it. ‘Hello, Henry.’

‘If you’re eating meat again, you know what this means…’ I shake my head.

She looks at me, hopeful against all hope.

‘You are hereby banned from the restaurant,’ I say.

Grizelda looks as if I’d slapped her. ‘No, please, don’t…’ she whispers.

‘How can I trust you to be around my children when you cannot keep to your vegetarian diet?’ I ask.

Once a cannibal, always a cannibal.

‘Please, it’s just once a week…’ she pleads.

‘First veal, who’s next? Hans? Or Greta?’ I keep interrogating. ‘Maybe your aversion to Henry’s smell was also just a charade?’

Grizelda’s shoulders sag, ‘I understand why everybody believes that story…I just thought you’d be different…’ she says. ‘I tried telling you before, but I guess you are just like the rest of them.

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