Heroes Return by Moira J. Moore

Author:Moira J. Moore [Moore, Moira J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, General
ISBN: 9781101457078
Google: KXTwU3hoRxoC
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2010-07-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

I didn’t have a scarf that would cover my hair. After a frustrating expanse of time I managed to pin a pillowcase to my head in a manner that covered all my hair. It looked ridiculous, but less ridiculous, I thought, than my green hair.

Every single servant I passed on the way down to the sitting room turned and stared at me. I thought servants weren’t supposed to do that sort of thing, express shock at the strangeness of the guests. Surely I didn’t look weird beyond all comprehension and experience.

Fiona was with Stacin in the sitting room, and, like her servants, she stared at the pillowcase on my head. “Good morning,” I said, hoping I sounded like I thought everything was normal.

“What the hell is that?” she demanded.

So much for normal. “I just washed it.”

“And that requires a pillowcase because . . . ?”

“Pillowcases provide the optimum combination of exposure to air and protection from dust.” Hey, that actually sounded plausible.

“Really?”

“You’ve never heard of that?”

“Can’t say I have.”

“Imagine that.” I headed for the coffeepot. I really needed coffee. “Does your market have a dye maker?”

“There is no market today.”

Oh, hell. “When is it?”

“Two days from now. It is held once every other week.”

“Damn it.”

Fiona’s gaze drifted up to the pillowcase again. “You need dye so desperately?”

“It’s not desperation,” I lied. “I was just hoping to get some things done today.”

“I’ll tell you how to find the dye maker if you tell me what color you’ve dyed your hair.”

So much for lying. “That’s not necessary.” Damn it, I wanted to know.

“So you’re going to wear that pillowcase for two days, and then wear it to the market with everyone there to see it?”

If I had to. I was not going to tell her my hair was green. I was not telling anyone. It was bad enough that Taro had seen it. And if he told anyone, I would kill him.

If Fiona could tell me where the dye maker was, so could others. Others who wouldn’t feel they had the right to ask me why I needed the dye, no matter how strange I looked.

I grabbed a couple of pieces of bread and hunted down Bailey. He stared at the pillowcase for only a moment, and cleared his voice before giving me the directions to the dye maker’s home. I headed out immediately.

It was drizzling outside, but not enough to divert me from my goal. Apparently it rained a lot in Flown Raven. I couldn’t let it stop me from doing whatever I wanted to do, or I’d never leave the manor.

Apparently I was due only so much humiliation that day. I didn’t pass anyone on the way. Would I be so lucky on my way back?

The dye maker’s name was Tish Rounder, and she lived in a small cottage set a little apart from the rest of the village. I could smell it long before I could see it. It was a horrible, gagging layer of stench, bringing tears to my eyes, and I almost turned back.

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