You can read the previous chapter here!
“So you need it by when?” asked the shopkeeper, a bespectacled old woman.
“Ideally by the end of the week,” said Asp. “I’ll pay extra if you can have it ready tomorrow.”
The shopkeeper nodded. “I can make that work.”
Asp glanced around the poorly-lit tailor’s shop. Despite the dinginess of the store, Asp knew that the tailor, Greta, was one of the best. And I need the best for this, she thought. First big job calls for the best.
“So it’s these cloths,” said Greta. “This dark green, and this one?” She pointed to a pale fabric.
Off-white, thought Asp. And dark green. Perfect. “Exactly,” said Asp. “I’ll pay now, if that’s okay?”
Greta looked surprised. “Sure,” she said. “If you’re comfortable with that.”
“Greta,” said Asp, “I will always be comfortable with your work.”
Greta smiled. “You do seem to need more clothes than most people,” she said.
Asp grinned. “My work calls for it,” she said. “It’s bad luck to talk about, but I think I’m about to be promoted.”
Greta clapped happily. “Good for you,” she said. “Well, I’ll see you soon.”
Asp pushed a stack of coins across the counter. “See you soon, Greta,” she said cheerfully.
“Bye now, Blossom,” Greta called.
Asp waved and headed out the front door. The summer heat radiated across the city, and people walked along the road, fanning themselves with their hands. She breathed the warm air deeply and smiled.
Tomorrow, she thought. It all comes together tomorrow. She wandered along the roads, passed by the ramp to the municipal district, and arrived at the small building which once was Gallery of the People. She breathed in deeply again and knocked twice.
The door swung open a moment later. “Asp,” said Xander quietly. “Come in.”
Asp wordlessly hurried inside and sat on an armchair across from where Xander sat down after her. They sat silently for a minute, then Xander spoke.
“Well, get on with it.”
Asp didn’t move. She stared back at Xander as though looking through him, a skill she had learned by watching him. Look, she thought. He knows the trick, and it’s working anyway.
“Stop working me,” he said after a second. “You came here for something, right? Not just to stare at me.”
Asp exhaled sharply. “Okay then, Xander,” she said calmly. “I will talk, but clearly, you have something you want to say. Get it off your chest.”
Xander looked at her as though she were joking, then furrowed his brow when she didn’t say anything further. “You came here because you thought I had something to say?” he asked, incredulous. “Am I getting this right?”
Asp folded her hands and waited.
“Yeah, okay,” said Xander. “You’re not wrong. You want the detailed version, or can I assume we both understand this situation.”
“I think we both understand,” said Asp calmly. “But we don’t share an understanding. Why don’t you give me the dummy version?”
Xander rolled his eyes. “Fine, you want it said?” he asked. “How about this–you come to me for help, what, five or six years ago?”
Asp nodded, barely moving.
“You soak up all my help for a while,” he said. “You learn like a real professional in the making. Then, suddenly, you get an attitude. Remind me, Asp, which one of us owns their own home?”
Asp sat motionless.
“Uh huh,” said Xander, “and which one of us has more in savings?”
Asp stayed still.
“And which one of us is the teacher here?” he demanded. “What bargaining power could you possibly have?”
Asp smiled lightly but didn’t speak.
“And now you’re playing a kid’s game, going all quiet like you’ve got something on me,” said Xander. “Conning a con ain’t that easy, kid.”
“Are you done?” she asked.
“No, as a matter of fact, I am not,” said Xander. “So it’s now a year and a half ago or so, everything is peachy keen, we’re both making money, and you snap.”
Asp looked at Xander like what he had just said was incredibly stupid.
“Look, kid, you keep trying to get close to people you can’t trust,” said Xander emphatically. “I really am trying to help.”
“This is what I’m talking about, Xander,” said Asp quietly a moment later. “I told you I like having someone in my life, and you acted like I was throwing my life away.”
“You are,” he said. “You just don’t see it.”
Asp sighed. “Whatever you say, Xander.”
“So why’d you come back, Asp?” asked Xander. “Ever since your temper tantrum, you show up and get work, you say nothing, and you leave. And we both know that if you actually worked a job your size, you wouldn’t need me throwing you an occasional side job. So, why are you here?”
Asp smiled. “To say that I’m ready,” she said. “You keep telling me to go after real work, and I am.”
Xander half smiled, his eyes dreamy. “You have, now have you?”
“I have,” she said quietly. “I just wanted to stop by and tell you that I’m moving on, and that–” She paused. “And that–” She stopped again. “And that I thank you for all your help. You did teach me a lot, and even if we disagree on safety, it would be silly to pretend we didn’t do good work together.”
Xander’s face softened. “Well, damn, Asp,” he said. “Don’t go soft on me, now.”
Asp smiled, feeling bittersweet. “I won’t,” she said. “But anyway, if you see me out and around, it’s probably better we kept things separate.”
Xander nodded. “We’ve kept things separate for almost two years,” he said. “Shouldn’t be too hard.”
Asp’s lower lip jutted out. She breathed heavily. “I mean more like . . . let’s agree that leave each other alone.”
“I’ve left you alone,” he said quickly.
“You’ve had a young red-headed boy following me for three months,” she said pointedly. “I don’t mean literally just you, I mean, leave me be.”
“You’ve thrown him every day,” chuckled Xander. “Like it’s nothing.”
“Get better help,” said Asp, rising. “And maybe don’t try to change everything about their lives.”
Xander smiled to himself. “Maybe,” he said. “Or maybe I’ll just get someone who listens better.”
Asp bit back rising anger. “Good luck, Xander,” she said.
“Good luck, Asp,” he replied.
She turned and headed for the door. She paused and looked to the side. The painting that Xander had “bought” hung by the door, the forested mountainside rising up over the small city at the painting’s edge. Sandy, she thought. If only things had gone differently. She pushed the door open.
“You know,” said Xander, “I do have something that would be better for you than for my boy.”
“Good luck, Xander,” said Asp firmly. She walked outside, closed the door behind her, and walked off into the fresh, warm air of a summer’s late morning.
—
Asp had spent the late morning and afternoon poking around the city. Relax before a job, she thought. One good thing Xander taught me.
As evening began to set in, she grew restless. She headed for the marketplace. People talked in loud voices, trying to overcome the din around them. Asp noticed people gathering around a small stall and crowded in. A young man with patchwork clothes was playing the shell game. She watched with interest as the young man swirled three shells around the table. An eager bettor pointed to the far right shell when they finished moving. The young man raised the right shell to reveal nothing, then swiped up the wagered coins. The bettor slammed a fist on the table, causing the shells to jump. There was nothing under any of the them. The young man turned and sprinted away, followed by a stream of angry onlookers.
Too easy to get caught, she thought. Kid needs some help. I hope he can run fast.
She continued through the market, her mind idle. She saw a smith pounding a heated ingot into a wrench. Three cooks pooled their work together, selling enormous plates of hearty food. Asp watched a troupe of halfling dancers perform a traditional dance routine as dulcimers and handdrums created a flowing rhythm. She frowned to herself. Nothing is interesting. I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow. She headed further into the city.
She came around a corner and sighted a tall, thin halfling man with a curved nose among a crowd of well-dressed people. She stopped and threw herself back around the corner and watched as the crowd passed on. The man with the curved nose was loudly telling a story about a savvy investment he had made.
“Bet they’ll think twice before pushing you around, Harry,” said a halfling woman in the group.
“They’ll be thinking twice from the poorhouse,” said Harry confidently. “No one messes with Harry Birch.”
I hate him so much, thought Asp. No one as rich as you gets messed with. Until now.
Harry and his group continued on, and Asp waited until they were long gone before continuing on her route. She pushed on into the deeper parts of the city, then suddenly stopped.
Dumb, she thought. I need to be distracted. I know how to be distracted. She looked around to make sure no one was watching, then headed back the way she came.
Minutes later, she arrived at the inn. She knocked twice on the window. Seconds passed. Is she home? Asp thought. She knocked again. The window cracked open.
“What is it?” asked Agnes.
“I was around,” said Asp casually. “Thought I might stop by.”
Agnes groaned. “Long day,” she said.
“Wanna tell me about it?” asked Asp. “Or maybe I could bring you some food?”
Agnes looked blankly at Asp. “I’m pretty tired,” she said.
Asp bit her lip. You won’t be tired in a second, she thought.
“I have ash,” whispered Asp.
Agnes’s eyes lit up. “You do?”
Asp sighed. “I do,” she said.
“I haven’t been able to find any lately,” said Agnes. “Town’s dry.”
“I made a trip out to Artan last week,” said Asp through the window.
Agnes grinned wickedly. “You’ve been holding out on me for a week?” she asked.
I have to save it for when you’re not feeling up to it, thought Asp. “Not holding out,” she said. “Waiting for the right time.”
“Well, this seems like the right time,” said Agnes. “Come on.” She reached her hands out and grabbed Asp’s, pulling her up and into the window.
Asp let herself enjoy the feeling of holding Agnes’s hands and landed softly on the floor inside.
“You ready?” asked Agnes, her eyes greedy.
Asp nodded. She reached into a hidden pocket and fished one of the two cubes of ash out. She had bought extra to avoid another trip out of the city, but moreso because her and Agnes’s appetite for ash had increased since they had started.
“Ready,” said Asp. This will definitely help me relax, she thought. Ash, the perfect solution to overthinking.
Agnes laid down on her bed as she had dozens of times before, making room for Asp to lie alongside her. Asp ground half the cube over Agnes’s mouth, and Agnes inhaled deeply. Agnes was quickly semiconscious, breathing heavily on the bed. Asp curled up against her and ground the last half of the cube, allowing herself to drift away into the darkness.
Morning came, and Asp found her arms once again around Agnes, one of Agnes’s arms thrown over Asp. As Asp had come to do every morning they shared together, she held Agnes close and waited sadly for the moment that Agnes would wake up and extricate herself from Asp. As the minutes wore on, Asp’s mind became cluttered. How sad is this. The only way I can hold her is when she’s not awake. She frowned and squeezed tighter. I need to say something. I need to do something. Agnes stirred. She pulled her arm back from around Asp and shoved Asp’s arms off of herself.
“Shit,” Agnes whispered. “That was strong stuff. I feel like I’m still in the dark.”
Asp made a show of waking up, yawning heavily. “We are in the dark,” she said.
Agnes hopped out of bed and made for the window. “So we are,” she said. She pulled the curtain wide, allowing morning light to filter in. “And now we are not.”
Asp looked around the room. It was small, even by halfling standards. There was really only enough room for a bed and a dresser. She thought of her own apartment across town. She never wants to come to my place. Is she insecure about how nice it is? She studied Agnes at the window. Or because it’s so far? Asp reached into her bag and pulled out two strips of bark, handing one to Agnes, who immediately chewed it idly.
“You have any more ash?” asked Agnes through the bark, her eyes hungry.
Asp stretched on the bed. “I could get some by tonight,” she lied, chewing the bark herself. Headache should go away soon, she thought. This was a lesson that she and Agnes had learned quickly: be ready for the come down after a night of ash.
“Tonight, then,” said Agnes. “See you then.”
“I should be a rich lady by tonight,” said Asp proudly. “We’ll need to celebrate.”
“Celebrate more than with ash?” asked Agnes. “How big is this job?”
“Pretty big,” said Asp. “Bigger than anything I’ve done yet.”
Agnes nodded appreciatively. “That’s big,” she said. “You need any help?”
I wish I had something for you, Agnes, she thought. I know the last few months have been tight. At least you haven’t caught on that I keep putting coins in your “secret” fund in your drawer when you’re all ashed out.
“I got this one, actually,” said Asp. “Thanks, though.”
“Well,” said Agnes, “good luck.”
“Thanks!” said Asp, genuinely pleased. “Now I should probably get to it.” She walked to the window, popped it open, glanced around outside, and climbed the small stepstool to the windowsill.
“You know you can use the door, right?” said Agnes. “Front door isn’t locked in the morning.”
But then it doesn’t feel like we’re sneaking around together, thought Asp, halfway out the window.
“I can,” she said, “but I won’t.” She dropped out of the window and landed gracefully on the ground. She poked her head up through the window. “Have a good day, Agnes!” she said.
Agnes shook her head, smiling. “You too, Asp.”
And Asp strode confidently away from the inn, rearranging her thoughts to plan for the day. Ash and Agnes, she thought happily. No two better distractions in the world. The world became a blur around her as she pressed forward, and she smiled as she considered where she would be when today was over.
—
“Hello, Greta,” said Asp as she entered the tailor’s.
“Good morning, Blossom,” said Greta. “It turned out quite nicely, I would say.”
In the low light of the shop, she reached under the counter and pulled out an ornate dress. It was mostly green, but with a great deal of the off-white Asp had chosen and some purple trim. City colors, she thought. Perfect.
“It looks lovely, Greta,” Asp said. “Thank you so much.”
“Of course,” said Greta. “Special occasion?”
“Business meeting,” said Asp.
“Ah,” said Greta. “Well, I wish you luck.”
“Thanks,” said Asp. “Hopefully, I don’t need it.”
Greta handed the dress over to Asp, smiling. “There are some strings at the back,” she said. “You can tighten the dress as much as you want with them.”
Options! Asp thought. Very nice. “Oh, delightful,” she said. “Thank you, Greta.”
“Of course,” said Greta. “Just bring it back if we need to fix the fit.”
Asp nodded. “Well, have a great day!” she said.
“You too!” said Greta.
Asp turned and headed for the door, then stopped. “Is there somewhere I can change into this?” she asked.
Greta pointed towards a room in the back with the door closed. “You can step in there,” she said.
Asp nodded and made for the door. She opened the door, stepped inside, and looked around. There were large drafting tables with pieces of cloth arranged on them, a rod from which clothes hung, and a lockbox on a small table near the door. Asp eyed the lockbox. Not why I’m here, she thought. No unnecessary risks today. She slipped off her blue dress and into the new one. She patted the lockbox lightly and left the room.
“It looks amazing!” cried Greta.
“I know!” replied Asp. “You’re the best at what you do.”
Greta blushed. “Thank you, Blossom.”
“Well, I’m off,” said Asp, returning to the front door.
“Bye now,” called Greta.
Asp stepped out into the morning light and spun, feeling the light material move around her. She looked down. Dark green fabric hung over her shoulders and down her sides. Purple frills around the neck and sleeves shown vividly beside the green. The front of the dress, however, was pale yellow.
Yellow? thought Asp. Shit. Bad lighting in there. She stared at the pale yellow. Close enough, I hope. I don’t have time or a good enough story to fix this.
She shrugged her shoulders and set off for the ramp up to the middle tier. She felt her senses sharpening as the adrenaline set in. It seemed that she noticed everything, every footfall on the cobblestone, every word spoken, every clatter of coins as deals were made. She allowed the focus in her mind to take in everything.
Asp arrived at the ramp and climbed it, then cut the short path to the next ramp up. She turned, walking up the incline towards Thistlewade’s finest district, where only the wealthiest halflings called home. I stayed away for years, she thought, but it’s time. She finished climbing the ramp and turned a corner, heading for the most upscale neighborhood in town. She calmly approached a fine estate with sprawling architecture and walked up to the front door. She grasped the door knocker, a great steel ring, and slammed it hard three times against the massive wooden beams that made up the door. She stood back and waited.
About a minute later, the door swung open, held by a finely-dressed maid whose dark brown hair was piled up artistically on her head.
“Birch residence,” she said in a high voice. “What is your business?”
“Thistlewade government business,” said Asp gruffly.
The maid looked worried. “Government business?” she repeated.
“Indeed,” said Asp.
“Your name?” said the maid.
“Penelope Jasmine,” said Asp. “I’m with the foreign affairs committee.”
“I’ll be right back,” said the maid. She closed the door, and several minutes later, opened it again. “Right this way, Ms. Jasmine,” she said.
Asp followed the maid through the halls of the estate. Grand rooms bigger than her entire apartment held collections of treasures–art, totems, artifacts, all manner of expensive baubles. That painting cost enough to buy a house, she thought, eyeing a vast battle scene. I’m in the right place.
The maid took a few corners, then showed Asp into a parlor. “Mr. Birch will be with you shortly,” she said, bowing out of the room.
She didn’t offer me anything, thought Asp. Probably not a good sign. She sat idly in the parlor, fidgeting with her dress. Yellow, she thought. How did I not catch that?
Harry Birch swept into the room with bluster. “Delegate Jasmine,” he said sharply, “I must say I’m surprised by your visit. I only met with the Thistlewade council a fortnight ago.”
Asp smiled diplomatically. “This is different business,” she said simply, balancing out Birch’s energy.
“Well,” said Birch, clearly impatient but unable to show it, “what business is it? How can I help our fair government?”
Asp hid most of her smile. “As I told your maid, I work for the foreign affairs committee. I doubt you have heard of me, or even of our committee. Foreign affairs are, of course, not of the greatest import here at home.”
Birch nodded, his eyes narrowed. “Foreign affairs,” he said. “Which government do you do the most business with?”
Asp folded her hands, lacing her fingers together. “The elven governments, Mr. Birch,” she said. “They can be tricky–their governments, I mean, not the elves themselves–”
“Though that would be true, too,” said Birch. “My dealings with elves have always been . . . complicated.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Asp solemnly. “But perhaps I can help that. You see, there is an elven diplomat, someone in a position quite like my own, who has been illegally detained. This diplomat, though called to work with the human governments, has been placed in a dwarven jail.”
“Elves, humans, dwarves, us,” said Birch. “Who isn’t involved?”
“Precisely, Mr. Birch,” said Asp. “It is rather . . . complicated. You see, if our local government supplies the funds to free this elven diplomat, it will implicate our government against the dwarves.”
Birch nodded. “So?” he said. “How does that concern me?”
Asp looked sadly at Birch. “This elven diplomat is not a diplomat by trade,” she said. “He is actually an elven noble who was doing the elven governments a favor by filling in for the missing diplomat. The dwarves know that they have an important person, and they’re not exactly cooperating with us.”
Birch frowned. “I still don’t see where I get involved.”
“Mr. Birch,” said Asp soothingly, “if you were to help supply the funds to free this elven noble, then our government would stay free of entanglements, and we would be able to free the noble without governmental friction.”
Birch shook his head. “No, I’m afraid I’m not interested,” he said firmly. “Why should I get involved if there’s no benefit to me?” He stopped short. “Not that I don’t want to help my people,” he added. “I simply see risk and no reward.”
“But that’s the thing, Mr. Birch,” said Asp. “There is no risk, and there is a reward. I will perform the negotiations, you see, and so you will be removed from the quagmire. On the other hand, the elven noble’s family has pledged a great reward for whoever can free him. The reward is many times what you would need to supply.” She brushed her hair away from her face and smiled gently. “No risk, all reward.”
Birch sat back in his chair and considered. “Elven noble,” he muttered. “Dwarven prison.” He sighed. “It’s basically an investment. I give you some money, you give me more money back. Right?”
Asp tried to look at a loss. “You could see it that way,” she said after a moment. “I would say an investment carries a risk. As I have said, there is no risk here. You provide me the initial funds, and in a week’s time at the absolute most, you get back so much more.”
Birch nodded, his face neutral. He sat silently for several minutes. Asp fought hard to let him sit without interruption, though she nearly burst out with more desperate pleas twice. Finally, Birch sighed and spoke.
“This is peculiar,” he said slowly. “Why have I never heard of your committee?”
Asp smiled faintly. “We prefer to operate quietly,” she said. “You understand, I assume. As an investor.”
“I dunno,” he said. “I want to help, but I don’t want to get burned. How do I know you are who you say you are?”
Asp sat up straighter. Show time. “We could walk down to the office on the middle tier,” she said, almost bored. “You could speak with my supervisor if he’s available. Or I could show you my identification?”
Birch looked pleasantly surprised. “Your identification?” he asked.
Asp reached into an outside pocket on her bag and pulled out her diplomat’s seal. The raised thistles stood sharply apart from the great lake behind them, and the metal glinted in the light coming in from the windows. She handed it to Birch, and he inspected it closely. After a while, he passed it back and smiled brusquely.
“It’s official,” he said. “Sorry to give you a hard time, Miss Jasmine. Some folks will do or say anything to get ahead. People like me have to be careful.”
“That’s wise, Mr. Birch,” said Asp sweetly. “Shall we discuss details?”
“How much do you need?” asked Birch. “And how much is the reward?”
“The reward is 200 gold pieces,” said Asp plainly.
Birch let out a low whistle. “Hot damn,” he said greedily. “And the investment?”
“A mere 50 gold pieces,” said Asp. “Quadruple profits–good enough for you?”
Birch nodded. “Fine, fine,” he said. “And you’ll deliver the reward in a week, you said?”
“I’ll bring it personally,” said Asp. “With a token of thanks from the city of Thistlewade.”
Birch smiled. “Give me a moment,” he said. He left the room, and a minute later, returned with a dark blue coinpurse. “Care to count it?” he asked.
Weird thing to say, she thought. Now I want to, but a diplomat wouldn’t. Would they? Her mind raced. She needed a good reason to say yes.
“Our last few missions have suffered from miscounting errors,” said Asp gently. “I don’t doubt you, but I do hope you understand.”
Birch held his hands out. Asp quickly counted out the coins. Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty, she thought to herself. All here.
“Do we have a deal?” asked Birch. His voice was firm.
“We have a deal,” said Asp. “Thank you for your service to the city.”
Birch laughed. “Thank you for the city’s trust,” he said. “It’s always good to be on the right side of the government.”
Wouldn’t know, thought Asp bitterly. She glanced around, feeling like it was time to go. “I thank you for your help,” said Asp. “Personally.”
Birch nodded absently, then looked hard at her. “Yeah,” he said, unsure. “Any time.” He walked her to the front door. “Hey, if another elf goes and gets locked up, let me know.”
Asp smiled widely at him and stepped out the door. “You’ll be first on our list.”
“Take care now,” said Birch.
“All the best,” said Asp, waving. She watched over her shoulder as Birch closed the door and disappeared. Then she sprinted for the ramps, tore down them, and dashed to her apartment. She unlocked the door, slipped inside, and locked the door behind her. She tore off Penelope’s dress and redressed in a dress she hadn’t worn in ages. It fit mostly right. She undid the braids in her hair and put it up in a high ponytail. Now I’m not Penelope. She got on all fours and pried up the loose floorboard. Underneath was her lockbox. It rattled slightly as she opened it. Inside were a few dozen loose silver and copper pieces. She smiled widely and pulled out the coinpurse Birch had given her, shaking the gold pieces loose of the bag and into the lockbox. After all the coins had noisily seated themselves, she pulled out two gold pieces and slipped them into the coinpurse she kept fixed to her thigh under her dress.
It worked, she thought. Fifty gold. Holy shit. She flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. I’m rich. She frowned. Not rich like Birch, but richer than I’ve ever been before. Richer than my folks ever were. Richer than Agnes has ever been. Upper tier, here I come.
And Asp allowed herself to lay a while and dream about what other treasures she might discover if she only listened to her own advice: Assume you’ve got it until it’s clear you don’t.
She stayed in her apartment for a few hours, unable to say if she were celebrating her victory or hiding from possible ramifications, and as the evening approached, she began to feel lonely. I need someone who actually wants me around. And as she lay on her bed, just feet away from the biggest score of her life, she began to think instead about whether or not she felt alone.
—
Asp left her apartment as the sun’s final rays disappeared. She locked her door and headed off for the marketplace, but cut around it to a row of quiet shops. She passed them, noting their signs as she went. Thistlewade Garments, Redtree Smithy, High Lake Books, she read to herself. Forest Grove Apothecary, Hunter’s Snares. She frowned to herself. It should be around here. She continued down the street. Hermit’s General Store, Warm Light Chandler. Where is it? She hurried on. Dragon Breath Incense, Faded Paper, Hannigan Pets. She smiled and pushed the small shop door open.
It smelled bad inside, like stale meat and urine. Asp smiled through it and approached the old woman behind the counter.
“I’m looking for a pet,” said Asp.
“You’re in the right place!” cried the woman excitedly. “I’m Yvon,” she said.
“Blossom,” said Asp. “What do you recommend?”
“Oh, it depends on what you’re looking for,” said Yvon. “You have a big house?”
“Not really,” said Asp. “I have a decent-sized apartment.”
“And are you home a lot?” asked Yvon.
“Not really,” said Asp. “Is that okay?”
“Absolutely fine,” said Yvon. “You want to cuddle?”
Asp looked at Yvon, confused. “Um . . . ?”
Yvon chuckled. “Not with me,” she said. “We have some turtles, some crabs, some snakes–”
“Snakes?” asked Asp. “Do you have an Asp?”
Yvon looked shocked. “As a pet?” she asked. “You know those will kill you.”
Asp held her hands up innocently. “Just curious.”
“So, are you looking to cuddle your pet?” asked Yvon. “Snakes aren’t very cuddly.”
Asp nodded. “Yeah, I want something that will–” She stopped short of saying it.
“Something that will what?” asked Yvon.
“Something that will love me,” said Asp self-consciously.
Yvon noticed Asp’s reaction. “Small space, not home a lot, wants to cuddle–you want a cat.”
Asp cocked an eyebrow. “I mean, maybe.”
Yvon grinned. “Come over here,” she said, stepping out from behind the counter. “Look at these ones,” she said, pointing into a small pen with a half-dozen kittens. “This one here–I call her Gigi–she’s very sweet.”
Asp looked at Gigi. The cat was large and black, and she groomed herself. Asp turned to Yvon. “She seems nice,” she said weakly.
“Okay, so not Gigi,” said Yvon. “Maybe you want a tabby?” She lifted an old orange tabby and held her for Asp to consider.
“She seems kinda . . . old?” said Asp.
“Oh,” said Yvon. “You want a kitten.” She inched past the cat pen to a smaller one. “How about this one?” she asked, picking up a small grey tabby. “She loves you already,” she added.
Asp’s eyes grew as she looked at the kitten. “She’s so cute,” she said.
“And she’ll stay that way for about a year,” said Yvon. “Then she’ll start to look like Gigi.”
Asp kept her face from reacting. “I’ll take her,” she said.
“And you’ll need the fixings?” asked Yvon. “Water bowl, food bowl, food, litter box–unless she’s going to be an outside cat?”
Asp shrugged and nodded. “Give me everything,” she said.
Yvon handed the kitten to Asp and stepped around the shop, collecting the various accouterments the kitten would need. “What are you going to name her?” she asked. “I’ve been calling her Daylight because she’s got such a bright energy.”
Asp thought a moment and smiled. “Iris,” she said.
“That’s a pretty name,” said Yvon. She placed the gear on the counter as Iris squirmed in Asp’s arms. “Total is two silver.”
Asp reached into her visible coinpurse and withdrew two silver coins. “Here you are,” she said.
Yvon took the coins and smiled. “Another happy family,” she said. “Come on back if anything comes up.”
Asp nodded and headed for the door, clutching Iris in one arm and the gear in the other. “Thanks, Yvon,” she said. She headed out the door and walked to Agnes’s apartment.
When she arrived after getting strange looks from passersby for the odd assortment of gear she carried, Iris had begun to settle down and simply lay in the crook of Asp’s arm. Asp knocked on the window to Agnes’s room. It swung open.
“Hey, Asp,” said Agnes. “What’s with the cat?”
“She’s mine!” chirped Asp. “Just got her.”
“Cool,” said Agnes. “You got that ash?”
Asp struggled to not let her face fall. “Yeah,” she said. She handed the gear over to Agnes and waited to be helped through herself.
Agnes piled the pet supplies in a stack by the wall. “Why a cat?”
Asp shrugged. “I dunno,” she said. “I wanted a pet, and the lady at the store recommended a cat.”
Agnes eyed Iris warily. “I’m not really an animal person,” she said.
“You don’t have to be,” said Asp, cradling Iris. “She’s for me.”
Agnes sat down on the bed. “Ready?”
Asp nodded and placed Iris down on the floor. The kitten sniffed around, paying no mind to Asp or Agnes.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she said. She sat next to Agnes while Agnes lay down. She ground the cube which she pulled from her concealed pocket over Agnes’s face. Iris mewled, and Asp turned to look at her. Iris sat down on the floor and began to groom herself. Asp looked back at Agnes. Her body had gone limp.
Asp looked down at Agnes as she had become used to doing after administering the dose. Agnes breathed heavily. She’s so pretty, Asp thought. She always looks so happy when she’s asleep. I wish– She stopped herself. I wish I could– She stopped again. She looked down at Agnes. The heaviness of years of waiting brought Asp’s mind crashing down. She’s out, she thought. Just a moment.
Asp leaned in and used her arms to brace herself against the bed around Agnes. She studied Agnes’s face.
“I love you, Agnes,” she whispered, and she leaned down and kissed Agnes on the lips.
Agnes leapt up. “What the fuck?” she spat. Her eyes were furious.
Asp inhaled quickly and found she couldn’t breathe out. “Agnes?” she managed.
“You fucking freak,” said Agnes, raging. “I thought I’d see what you do after you dose me, just pretend to be out, and this is what you do?” She stamped her feet on the floor. “You’ve been kissing me for years?”
“No!” cried Asp. “This was the first time. I– Look, it’s not what it looks like.”
“No, I see it,” said Agnes. “You decide to lie to me so I’ll sleep next to you, and your arms!” She spat on the floor. “You’re always hugging me in the morning. I thought it was just a thing that happened, but you’ve been working me this whole time.”
“No, Agnes,” said Asp, desperate and hurting, “it’s not like that. I care about you–”
“Well I don’t care about you,” said Agnes. “You’re a way to get ash and money.”
Asp’s eyes moved to the dresser.
“Yeah, I know about your sad little gifts,” said Agnes. “I always thought it was weird, but I figured it meant I had to work less. Now I see you were getting off it the whole time.”
Asp’s arms fell to her sides. She wanted to scream and cry and fall on the floor.
“Get out,” said Agnes. “Gimme the rest of the ash, and get out.” She pointed to the door. “I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Asp’s shoulders fell. “I’m sorry, Agnes,” she managed to say after a moment. She handed the ash delicately to Agnes. “It’s really–”
“GET. OUT,” said Agnes. “Or I tell the guards all about Heather and Blossom and Asp.”
Asp looked down. She gathered the pet supplies and scooped up Iris. She paused at the door and looked at Agnes. “I didn’t mean–”
“Asp,” said Agnes decisively, “I don’t ever want to hear the sound of your voice again. Go.”
Asp turned and slunk down the hallway and out of the inn. When she walked past the window outside, it was sealed. She looked grimly down. That could not possibly have been worse.
She wandered mindlessly back to her apartment and set to work making the place friendly to Iris. When Iris seemed content, Asp flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. So much can change in a few hours, she thought. I’m not even excited about the score anymore. Fuck.
Iris hopped up on the bed and began to lick at Asp’s face.
“Iris,” she said. “I had to lose two of the most important people in my life today.” She listened to Iris purr as the kitten licked at Asp’s cheek. “I’m never gonna lose you, okay? That’s a rule. So don’t get any big ideas.”
Iris finished her work and jumped onto Asp’s chest, curling up into a ball.
And Asp cried gently at first, then in great sobs so that Iris had to work hard to stay put.
—
A few hours later, Asp kissed Iris on the top of the head. “I’ll be back, sweetheart,” she said. “Be good.” She walked to the door and turned to watch Iris, who was squirming around on her back on the bed. She smiled weakly and went out the door, locking it behind her.
She walked through the city street’s feeling the day’s heat begin to melt into something more bearable. She passed people and shops without considering them. The city was almost a blur. Internally, she was still reeling, and she knew that she needed something to stabilize her. She took a corner and knocked on the modest house’s door twice.
The door swung open a moment later. “Oh, hey, sweetheart,” said Cedric. “It’s been a while.” His voice was free of judgment.
“Is Mom home?” asked Asp.
“Not at the moment,” he said. “She’s out playing cards with some friends.”
“Can I come in?” she asked.
“Of course,” said her father. “What’s the occasion?”
“Oh, just dropping by,” lied Asp. She walked inside and sat down at the kitchen table. “Like you said, it’s been a while.”
Cedric smiled. “Well, whatever the occasion, it’s good to see you.”
“What’s new?” asked Asp. “Things still okay at the job site?”
“Oh, they keep changing the plans on us,” said Cedric. “It would be one thing to build a house. To build five different houses? On the same lot?” He laughed. “It’ll get built. Eventually.”
Asp laughed with him. “If anyone can do it, it’s you,” she said.
“I don’t know about that,” said her father. “You still working at that tailor’s shop?”
“Uh huh,” lied Asp. “Simple work pays.”
“That it does,” said Cedric. “Say, Heather–are you okay?”
“Yeah, of course,” lied Asp. “Why?”
“It just looked for a second like you’d been crying,” he replied. “You sure you’re okay? You’re allowed to not be okay, you know.”
Asp burst into tears. Her father silently put a hand on her shoulder and rubbed gently.
“Oh, sweetheart,” he said softly, “what’s the matter?”
Asp composed herself enough to talk. “Just some heartbreak,” she said weakly. “I’ll be fine.”
“Boy trouble,” said Cedric knowingly. “Hey, boys are jerks. Take it from a former boy.” He smiled. “You’ll be okay.”
Sure, boy trouble, she thought. “Dad, if you’re good to someone for long enough, and they still treat you like dirt, does it mean you’re not doing it right?” she asked.
“Is this about the boy trouble?” he asked. “Or are you talking about your mother?”
Asp looked into her lap. I wasn’t, she thought. I am now. “No, like, if I’m really nice to someone, and they hate me, am I not really being nice?”
Cedric narrowed his eyes at her. “Sweetie, if you’re being good to someone and they don’t return it, they’re the wrong person.” His eyes searched hers.
“It doesn’t feel that way sometimes,” she said. “It feels like everybody only cares about themselves.”
Cedric smiled. “Now you sound like your mother,” he said.
Asp frowned.
“Not like that,” he added too late. “Like . . . she’s suspicious of people. She’s slow to trust.” He sighed. “You’re not slow to trust. You like to take people at their word.”
Asp blinked. Do you really know me so little? she thought. Have I really been lying to you for this long?
“I guess so,” she said. “Dad, when was the last time we were close?”
Cedric leaned back, blinking. “What do you mean, sweetie? Aren’t we close now?”
“It’s been months since I came by,” she said. “Aren’t you . . . aren’t you disappointed?”
Cedric frowned. “I’ll never be disappointed by you, Heather. You’re my daughter. I love you more than anything.”
Asp began to cry again, this time more gently. “I love you too, Dad,” she managed through the tears.
The front door swung open, and Lily peeked her head around the corner. “Heather,” she said. “Oh, you’re . . . crying.”
Asp wiped her eyes. “Sorry,” she said.
“Fine, fine,” said her mother. “Just calm down.”
Asp breathed deeply at stood up. “I was just going,” she said.
Cedric blinked curiously a few times, then nodded. “I was just going to show her out.”
“Well, if our daughter is in crisis, shouldn’t we be helping her?” asked Lily.
Asp stayed standing. “No, really,” she said. “I have to get going.”
“Oh, night business?” asked her mother. “You have some pressing thing to do instead of talk to your mother?”
I can’t do this tonight, Asp thought. Not after today. “Good night, Mom,” she said firmly.
“I see how it is,” said Lily. “You come by to see your father and run off as soon as I get home.”
“You know what, Mom?” Asp demanded. “That is how it is. I know you don’t want me around, so I’m really just doing it for you.”
“That’s not fair, Heather,” said Cedric. “She really wants to know how you are.”
Asp looked at her father, bewildered. “But–you just–” She stopped herself. No way to have this conversation without selling him out.
“You should treat her with some respect,” her father said. “She is your mother.”
Asp pursed her lips and then sighed. “I’m fine, Mom,” she said. “Now can I go?”
“Well, don’t let me ruin your life,” snipped Lily. “Please, disappear for three months again.”
Asp slumped her shoulders. “Good night,” she said and sped out the door.
“Come back, young lady!” called Lily. “I’m not done with you.”
But Asp was already gone. She wandered this way and that. I should get home, she thought. Check on Iris. She picked a path towards her apartment and allowed herself to automatically move through the city without thought. Again, everything became a blur, and she was soon nearly home.
From a distance, Asp could hear a vendor crying out in the dark, trying to drum up some business in the late hour. Curious about what the vendor could be selling, she took a slight detour away from her apartment and towards the darkened stall.
“Magic spells for sale!” the vendor called out. “You pick the effect, I cast the magic, you get the profits! Anything you can dream of! Magic spells for sale!”
Asp smiled in curiosity. A spell vendor–that’s a new one. She closed the distance to the vendor. He was a mustachioed halfling covered in metal charms. Before him was a small table, empty. Asp stood at the edge of the table.
“Spells, you say?” she asked.
“Any spell,” said the man. “Fair prices, too.”
“So, you could give me a key that would open any lock?” she asked.
“Nothing that could be construed as illegal, miss,” said the man with a smile. “Interesting idea, though.”
Asp considered. “How about clothing that could change appearances?”
The man shrugged. “I could. If you feel like clothing is an inconvenience.”
Asp scowled. “Okay then, what’s a good spell to buy?”
The man laughed lightly. “Think about what you really want. Anything is possible. What do you really want?”
To undo today, she thought. To fix my parents. To not be alone anymore. She thought of Iris. I guess I’m not alone anymore. She thought of what Yvon had said about Iris growing up. To have Iris . . . forever. She smiled.
“Can you make something stay the way it is forever?” asked Asp, suddenly intense.
“As in make an object indestructible? Or protect something against counter magic?” asked the man.
“More like make my cat stay a kitten forever,” said Asp as though this were a commonplace request.
“Oh,” said the man. “You want her to look like a kitten until she dies?”
“I want her to be a kitten,” said Asp firmly, “forever.”
“Immortal kitten,” said the man, thinking it over. “Haven’t heard that one before. But it’s possible. It will cost you, though.”
Asp smiled and thought of the lockbox full of gold coins. Not a problem. “I can pay,” said Asp.
“No, I don’t think you understand,” said the man. “You’re talking about big forces, universal powers. I’m talking real money. Understand?”
Asp raised her eyebrows. “Try me.”
“For that,” said the man, his eyes racing back and forth as he performed mental calculations, “it’s gonna be forty-five, maybe fifty.”
Asp looked confused. “Weird way to put it. Why not say ‘four and a half gold, maybe five’?” she asked.
“I’m not talking silver pieces, lady,” said the man. “Fifty gold.” He shrugged. “And since that’s out of your price range, maybe we could settle for a kitten throughout its natural life?”
Asp shook her head. “Fifty gold,” she repeated. “Forever kitten. I’m good for it.”
The man raised his eyebrows and laughed. “Interesting,” he said. “Little girl has enough coin lying around to pay.” He exhaled heavily. “Where’s the cat?”
“Will you be here in ten minutes?” asked Asp, excited. “I’ll be right back with the money and Iris.”
The man nodded. “Not much luck in this part of town,” he said, “but I can stick around for a bit if you’re really paying.”
“You should try the upper tier,” said Asp politely. “During daytime.” She turned to go. “Be right back?”
“Good to know,” said the man. “See you in a flash.”
Asp ran back the way she came, then turned down a side road. She hurried down it, retrieving Iris and the lockbox and flying back as fast as she could. The man was still standing behind his empty table.
“That was quick,” he said. “Cute cat.”
“Here,” said Asp, slamming the lockbox down on the table. She held Iris in one arm and fished out the key to the lockbox, which hung on a chain around her neck. She opened the lockbox and threw open the lid.
“No shit,” said the man, his eyes gleaming.
“We have a deal?” asked Asp.
“Deal,” he said, counting out five even stacks of ten gold coins. “Now watch carefully.”
Asp placed Iris down on the table next to the coins. Iris meowed lightly and lay down. The man waved his arms theatrically over Iris, then began to mutter incantations in a foreign tongue at a low volume. Slowly, as he recited, he raised his voice until he concluded the chant with a great yelp. As the sound of his shout faded away, a faint blue orb appeared over Iris. The orb wobbled and grew until it was a ball bigger than Iris. The man used his fingers to guide the orb down onto Iris, where it made staticky crackling noises. A moment later, the orb expanded quickly, then shrunk down and disappeared inside Iris. She mewled gently.
“That’s it,” said the man. “She’ll never age another second from now.”
Asp looked at the man patiently. “If that was real,” she said skeptically. “If it wasn’t, I’d be fifty gold poorer without a way to prove it’s bogus until you’re long gone.”
The man smiled politely. “That’s something you should have considered before we made a deal.”
Asp looked at Iris, who was now flopping around, attacking splinters that rose from the planks of the table.
“True,” she said. “But how do I know that worked?”
“You don’t,” said the man. “But you will.”
Asp sighed. “Thanks, I guess,” she said.
He laughed. “Look, here’s some unsolicited advice: you came here looking for a companion. Well, you might attract another easier if you don’t act like everything they do is a ruse.”
It’s hard to assume everyone is honest when you’re not, thought Asp. I know better.
“Well, thanks for the spell and the advice,” she said. “Good luck in the upper tier tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” said the man graciously. “Good luck with your permanent kitten.”
Asp smiled and scooped up Iris and the mostly-emptied lockbox. “Good night,” she said and walked off into the night.
She carried Iris home and locked up for the night. Asp curled up under the sheet in bed, her heavy covers pushed away to contend with the summer heat. Iris climbed up on Asp’s side and curled up there.
Everything changes, Asp thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep. Relationships change all the time. But ours won’t, she thought, feeling the tiny weight of Iris on her side. You’ll be my Iris forever.
And as she finally fell asleep, Asp’s brain was already turning towards the next big job, the thing that would replace the empty feeling inside of her.
You can read the next chapter here!
No comments:
Post a Comment