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“Why should I believe you?” asked the guard, standing over Asp.
Asp straightened her dress. “Why shouldn’t you believe me? I’m just an honest girl who needs help.”
“I’m under strict orders to guard this door,” said the guard, scratching his chin. “I can’t leave for nothing.”
“But my dad really is trapped in this alley over here!” she cried. “He doesn’t like small spaces–he’s going to have a panic attack!”
“Get someone else,” said the guard. “I can’t leave.”
“Oh, I see how it is,” said Asp loudly. “Like many of the guards in this city, you’ll only work if you’re bribed. Is that it?”
“Keep it down, miss,” said the guard threateningly. “It ain’t like that.”
“But would a little money help?” she whispered. “Or maybe a fair amount of money?”
The guard swallowed hard. “I should take you in for offering to bribe me,” he said after a moment.
Edith said this guy’s more crooked than us. Come on, enough with the song and dance. “If you don’t want my money, just say so,” Asp said. She had grabbed a coinpurse from her bag and held it so the guard could see it. It bulged, and gold coins came out of the top partially.
“Wait,” said the guard. “If I can have that coinpurse, I’ll help you.”
Asp smiled. The top five pieces are gold. The rest is copper, you dolt. “Here you are,” she said. “Now, my father. He’s over here, and we should hurry.” She stepped towards an alleyway a few blocks away.
The guard made to open the coinpurse.
“Excuse me,” Asp said in her neediest tone, “you said you would help. Are you going back on our deal? Shall I take back my money?”
The guard scowled and dropped the coinpurse into his own bag. “I’m coming,” he said. “Hold your horses.” He followed Asp.
She began to lead him down the street. She turned after walking a ways and saw both Georgie and Dirk head down the path the guard had just been blocking. She turned back and pointed to an alleyway. “Over there,” she said.
The guard walked over and tried to peer around the corner, but the wall was so close that he couldn’t get a good look.
“He’s back here?” said the guard. “How did he get back here? There’s no room.”
“He’s skinny,” said Asp. “He wanted to see if it was a shortcut.”
“I can’t see him,” said the guard, angling his face at the bend. “I don’t think he’s here. Let’s go check on the other side.”
“No, I’m sure he’s there. You have to get back there and take one more corner.” She smiled at him. “He’s definitely there.”
“Hey, sir!” shouted the guard. “Can you hear me?”
“He’s deaf,” said Asp pleasantly.
“Damnit,” said the guard. “I may need someone else for this.”
“I’ll go get them,” said Asp quickly. “Can you keep trying to get to my father?”
She saw the guard’s shoulder’s slump. “Okay,” he said, frustrated.
“Be right back!” cried Asp. She ran from the alleyway back the way they had come and stopped where the guard had been standing. She waited about a minute, tapping her foot nervously the whole time. She heard a door close, and a moment later, Georgie came scurrying out of the hallway with her hands in her pockets, followed by Dirk hefting a large canvas bag. Asp nodded at them as they hurried away. She turned and ran back to the tight alleyway.
“He’s out!” she cried happily. “Thanks so much for your help!”
The guard pulled his torso out of the narrow passage. “He’s out?” he said sheepishly.
“He squirmed through to the other side,” explained Asp. “Thanks!”
“I didn’t do–” he started. His hand moved to his bag, which clinked slightly. “Sure,” he said.
“See you ‘round,” said Asp. She waved and walked confidently off into the city.
After a few blocks, a human man with his brown hair in a tight bun flagged down Asp. “Excuse me, miss,” he said in a somewhat high voice.
“Hi,” said Asp pleasantly. He looks familiar. Where have I seen him before? “I’m Blossom. You are?”
“Ed,” said the man. His eyes widened. “It’s me,” he whispered in a higher voice. “It’s Edith.”
“Oh,” said Asp. I’ve gotten good with costumes and makeup, but a man? Damn, Edith. I may have to try that. “It went off just right, looks like. What’s with the getup?”
“I’m spooked,” said Edith in her lower but still high voice. “I think a guard saw me talking to our mark today, so I’m playing it safe.”
“I didn’t recognize you at all,” said Asp. “You mind if I–?”
“Go for it,” said Edith. “I think you have better bone structure for it, and you’re better with voices. I heard the secret to a good male voice is not just low pitch, but also a kind of vocal friction. I can’t get it, but that’s what you’re trying for at least.”
“So, I’ll meet you all at my place in a few hours?” asked Asp. “Review and recompense?”
“Sounds like a plan, Asp,” whispered Edith in her own voice. Then, in her more male voice, she said, “Well, you have a good day, miss.”
“You too, good sir,” said Asp, smiling. She turned and walked off into the city.
She was on her way to her apartment when she overheard the name “Agnes” and slowed to a stop. She stood as if considering her surroundings, but was tuning into the conversation she had overhead. She found it after a moment.
“A terror, that one,” said an older halfling woman.
“She’s a menace,” said a younger woman.
She’s strong-willed and stubborn, thought Asp. Not a menace.
“I heard she had a brush with the guards recently–I heard she threatened to pull a knife on one,” said the older woman.
“Wouldn’t be surprised,” said the younger woman. “Not with her past.”
What are you talking about? thought Asp. She’s not violent.
“So tragic,” said the older woman. “That poor girl. Not hurting anybody.”
“Sliced her open,” said the younger woman. “Sliced her with a kitchen knife. Can’t believe she only got a year.”
She cut a girl with a knife? That’s why she had to stay in?
“I feel bad for the poor girl’s family,” said the older woman. “The guards wanted to keep it quiet. Most people still don’t know.”
“It’s wrong to be walking around a murderer and have nobody know,” said the younger woman. “Makes me sick.”
Murderer. Her mind raced. Nicole. The bearded man. Agnes. Murderer. She breathed deeply and started walking again. She felt thrown off balance, but by the time she reached her apartment, a plan was starting to form in her mind.
—
Asp left her apartment in a new outfit, this one all burnt orange with grey stitching, and headed out on the road. She followed a curving trail around hillsides that became dotted with vineyards as she passed them. The smell of rich soil recently stirred by rain filled the air, and Asp smiled under the heavy air. Before long, she came to the humble entrance to the Vineyard District and passed into the settlement.
It’s so small, she thought as she surveyed the sparsely-spaced vineyards across the hills. Not even a real town. She continued on the road until she arrived at a two-story building just off the main road. She looked up at the sign over the door: Thimblefull Vineyards. She shook her head. Bad name. Why would you want to imply there’s not much of your wine? We’ll tend to that. She smiled and walked though the open front door.
Inside was an older halfling couple. A man with a trimmed white beard stood polishing wine glasses while a woman with a loose bun of white hair stood stirring a vat of wine. A smell like currants and raspberries filled the room.
“Good morning,” said Asp. “Are you the Mendelsons?”
“Rick,” said the man, smiling slightly. “That’s Ginger. What can we help you with?”
Asp smiled and stepped towards them. “I think we can help each other, actually. I had a glass of your wine a few years ago at a tavern in Coral Beach. It was excellent.”
“Thank you,” said Rick happily. “We make our wine with love.”
“And yet,” said Asp sadly, “I almost never see your wines anywhere. I travel all across Lowglen, and I’m no stranger to Highglen and Midford. But it’s nowhere to be seen. Why is that?”
Rick looked down. “We, um, we can’t really afford to ship that far,” he said. “We’re short on infrastructure, see, and–”
“But sir,” said Asp. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but is your shortness on infrastructure a product of lack of planning or lack of funds?”
“That’s mighty rude to ask, young lady,” said Ginger from the vat. “Where do you think you are, asking personal questions like that? Make us out to be fools?”
“Nothing like that,” said Asp easily. “I know you’re not fools–I’ve had your wine. I’m so sorry to have been so direct. People tend to prefer directness in business dealings.”
“You have business for us?” asked Rick.
“If you want it,” said Asp warmly. “What I mean to say is that I would like to invest in your vineyards. I would like to help send bottles of your wine all across our lands, perhaps even across Eunax. I would like to help, if you want my help.”
“That’s mighty kind,” said Rick. “But–”
“But we don’t play with outside investors,” said Ginger firmly. “Investors want to run the business. But it’s our business.”
“I don’t want to run your business,” replied Asp. “I want you to keep doing what you’re doing, but bigger.”
“There are costs with expanding,” said Rick. “We would need to hire new people, and expand the warehouse, and figure out new shipping–”
“Tell you what,” said Asp. “I’ll take care of anything you don’t want to do, and you can take care of what you do want to do.” She smiled. “How’s that sound? I give you the money to expand, help you do it, and leave you alone?”
“But why would someone do that?” asked Ginger. “No one has ever offered that.”
“Isn’t it what you want?” asked Asp gently.
“It is, honey,” said Rick. “We’ve been praying for this for years. Let’s not let it go.”
“Richard,” said Ginger impatiently, “we don’t even know if she knows how much we would need. For all we know, she’s got 3 silver pieces in her pocket and wants to be a big investor.”
Asp smiled and raised a finger. She reached into her bag and pulled out a coinpurse. She dropped it on the counter. She smiled wider and pulled out another coinpurse, which she lay on the counter.
“You’ve made your point,” said Ginger, now at the counter with Rick.
“No, I haven’t,” said Asp. She placed a third coinpurse on the counter. “I have more,” she said.
“No, no, that’s enough,” said Rick. “Honey, look.”
“I see it, Richard,” said Ginger. “She’s got plenty of money.”
“You tell me how much you need,” said Asp soothingly. “Then you won’t see me again until you want to see me.”
“We don’t know how much we need,” said Ginger after a moment.
“Ginger,” scolded Rick, “you and I both know how much we need.”
“But if she gives us that much,” said Ginger, “she’ll own more of the company than us.”
“I have a compromise,” said Asp. “I give you just enough for you to keep the company, and I’ll loan you the rest. Fair rate. Then it’s all yours.”
“What’s your end?” asked Ginger. “Why are you so eager to make this happen?”
Because I want passive income, she thought. Because I want to be in legal business. Because I’m running out of places to work. “Because I love your wine,” Asp said. “It’s really good.”
“Can we have a while to think about it?” asked Ginger.
“How much time do you need?” asked Asp.
“Til the end of the day?” asked Ginger.
“I’ll be back at nightfall,” said Asp, smiling. She returned each of the coinpurses to her bag and noted how Rick’s and Ginger’s eyes followed the coinpurses as she moved them. “Good luck deliberating,” she said.
“Thanks, uh–actually, we never got your name,” said Rick.
I can’t use a fake name in case they look me up. And it’s legal business anyway. I can use it. “Heather Turnkey,” she said uneasily. Wow, it was hard to say that. Really hard.
“Well, Heather,” said Rick, “we’ll see you soon.”
“Good day,” said Asp, and she walked out the door.
Got enough time to get back to Thistlewade and get paid before I get back here to finalize the deal. Not bad. They’ll take the deal. She thought of Ginger’s resistance and smiled. Rick will talk her into it. Then it’s time to start life as a vineyard owner. She smiled and hurried down the road to Thistlewade, thinking about how it felt like things were finally coming together.
—
Asp sat in her apartment daydreaming with a cup of herbal tea. Iris was out of the apartment, and Asp missed her. Maybe she’s chasing those goats across the way, she thought. She loves to stare at those goats. She sipped her tea. I’m gonna own a vineyard.
There was a knock on the door. Asp answered it to find Edith still dressed as Ed and Georgie.
“Where’s Dirk?” asked Asp.
“He’s off stashing the score,” said Edith quietly.
“Come in,” said Asp, stepping aside. Edith and Georgie came in.
“Smells nice,” said Georgie. “Incense?”
“Tea,” said Asp. “So it all went fine?”
“Clean as a whistle,” said Edith.
“Excellent,” said Asp. “Always good working with you.”
“You too,” said Edith. “Your part,” she said, holding out a coinpurse.
Asp cracked the coinpurse open slightly. Platinum pieces glittered faintly inside.
“What was in there, anyway?” she asked. “This is more than we talked about.”
“Magic goods store,” said Edith. “They had a few more things in inventory than we had planned on.”
“There was a stone that lets you talk to people far away,” said Georgie.
“There was a lot in there,” said Edith. “We may bring you more depending on how fencing goes.”
“That’s fine,” said Asp. “You all did the heavy lifting. I was just a distraction. Besides, I have a new business opportunity that should help me out.”
“Nice,” said Edith. “Legal stuff, or baking?”
“Legal,” said Asp proudly. “I don’t want to say too much before the deal is settled, but yeah. Should be good. And you can put the rest towards the next job.”
“That’s kind,” said Edith. “See you in a few months?”
“Whenever you come up with something,” said Asp. “Hopefully out of Thistlewade next time? I’m running out of people I don’t know here.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Edith. “You ready, Georgie?”
“Ready,” said Georgie.
“Next time,” said Edith.
“Take care, you two,” said Asp at the door. “Have fun.”
“We will!” called Georgie.
Asp closed the door and turned to the coinpurse on the table. She dumped it upside down. A dozen or so platinum and gold coins clattered onto the table.
“Well that won’t fit safely in any of my spots,” she said to herself. “Guess we’ll have to go to the city.” She reloaded the coinpurse and headed outside.
She walked towards the quieter edge of town, out towards the road to Rainpour. She lingered in front of an abandoned house for a moment, looking around. No one was nearby. She clambered into the house and went to the fireplace. She withdrew a brick and looked inside. There was a pair of gold coins tucked in. She placed about half of her new take in the slot and replaced the brick. She turned and stealthily left the house, heading further into the neighborhood. A tall tree stood at the fork of the main road and a small side road off into the neighborhood’s sleepier area. She glanced around again to confirm she was alone. She climbed up the first several branches of the tree and placed the rest of the coins inside a hollow about fifteen feet up. She climbed quickly back down and looked around. The coast was clear.
Asp began to wander now that the job was done. Several hours til sundown, she thought. I’ll get back out to the Vineyard District when the sun gets low. For now, I can just–
Ahead, she saw Agnes coming. She ducked to the side, but with few people on the road, there was no one to hid behind. She searched for an alleyway but couldn’t find one. Agnes was getting closer. She stepped behind a barrel and crouched. She stayed there, quivering. She watched for Agnes to pass, but she didn’t. Asp cautiously peered around the barrel.
Agnes was standing there, waiting for her. “Hey, Asp,” she said wickedly.
“Hi, Agnes,” Asp said quietly. “I don’t want to–”
“You don’t want to pay?” Agnes asked. “So you want me to tell everyone about how you–”
“Wait,” said Asp. Please work, she thought. “You don’t want to do that.”
“I don’t?” said Agnes, smiling bitterly.
“I don’t think you do,” said Asp quietly.
“And why not?” asked Agnes, angry laughter in her voice.
“I know something about you, too,” said Asp. “Something you don’t want people to know.”
“Oh, do you?” asked Agnes. “And what would that be?”
Asp forced herself to smile no matter how much her insides churned. “I know why you had to stay in the clink for a year.” The clink. Asp remembered Agnes teaching her all the names for prison. She fought to not cry.
Agnes’s eyes grew wide. “No, you don’t.”
“I do,” said Asp, pain in her voice. “I don’t want to tell people, but I will.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” said Agnes. “I would kill you if–”
“So you are a killer,” said Asp quietly.
Agnes looked furious. “Get out of my sight right now, freak,” she said.
“Or what?” said Asp. “Or we’ll both reveal each other?”
Agnes scowled at her. “Get outta my way,” she said, shoving past Asp.
Asp stood in the middle of the street, shaking. I can’t believe that worked, she thought. It felt absolutely horrible, but it worked. She stood for a second in disbelief, then hurried on her way. I need some ash, she thought. Good thing I have some at home. She changed course and headed home.
Asp arrived home and let herself in. Iris was curled on the windowsill, facing the goats in the pasture across the way. She lay down on the bed and fished out the bag with her remaining ash. She ground a practiced amount–as close to half the cube as she could manage–and inhaled. Her limbs grew heavy, and her vision blurred. Agnes’s furious face stood in her mind’s eye, replaced a moment later by Agnes’s surprised face. There was something else to it, thought Asp. What was that in her face?
And as Asp gently drifted off to nowhere, she realized that the look on Agnes’s face had been betrayal.
—
Asp woke up as the rays of the sun were fading. I’m wiped, she thought. Better get going to the vineyard, or I’ll be late feeling like this. She shifted on the bed, careful to not bump up against Iris, who was curled by her shoulder. This late in the week, it’s like–shit, wait. I was supposed to drop off the money at Mom and Dad’s. She sat up in bed, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes. Shit, I gotta get going. She grabbed her pack and ran out the door.
She jogged towards her parents’ house, dodging passersby as she went. She paused a block from the house and looked around. No one was around. She ran over, dropped the folded paper with the coins on the front porch, knocked, and ran. She didn’t pause to duck down an alleyway halfway down the block as usual. It’s getting dark. Gotta get to the vineyards, she thought. She raced along, took the road out of town, and scurried along the way to vineyard country in the failing light.
She arrived as the lanterns were being lit. She hurried to Thimblefull Vineyards and paused outside to straighten her dress and her hair. She breathed deeply. Showtime, she thought and stepped inside.
Rick and Ginger were working together at a large press. Ginger cranked the press from above, and Rick collected the seeping wine in bottles from a spigot on the side of the vat.
“Hello?” called Asp. “Rick? Ginger?”
They turned to see her and stopped their business. Rick walked to the counter, as did Ginger after she came down the ladder.
“Heather,” Rick said. “Welcome back. I hope your journey was pleasant?”
Asp smiled. They seem to be very inviting. “Very pleasant,” she said. “The vineyards are beautiful year-round, but especially in the spring.”
“How old are you?” asked Ginger. Rick looked sideways at her. She shrugged. “I want to know. You look young. How can you afford to invest in us?”
Asp forced a smile. I’ve never been able to lie up about my age. Young face, I guess. Better tell the truth. “I’m twenty-five,” she said. “Young to be able to invest, but not impossible.” She put her hands on the counter. “I’ve worked a lot, and I’ve saved most of what I’ve made. I came by all of it honestly,” she lied. “I do a lot of different work, but I’m trained as a tanner.”
“Tanners can make good money,” said Rick to Ginger. “See, she’s honest.”
Ginger looked squarely at Asp. “So Heather the twenty-five year old wants to invest in a company, and she chooses wine? Not something more practical like leather goods?”
“I see your reason for suspicion,” said Asp pleasantly. “As I said, I do a lot of different work. I don’t like to focus on only one thing. Leather can be . . . boring after you’ve cured a few thousand hides.”
“The press does get tiring,” admitted Ginger. “And you really just like our wine?”
Asp nodded. “I love it. I want more people to love it.”
Ginger looked once more long and hard at Asp. She sighed. “It’s hard to say no,” she said.
Asp suppressed a smile. “I don’t want to force you,” she said. “If you need more time–”
“No,” said Rick. “Right, Ginger?”
“Right,” said Ginger slowly. “We’ve checked the math, and the investment plan you’ve described means you owe us 24 gold pieces.”
“Not a round 25?” asked Asp.
“25 gives you control of the company,” Ginger said. “24 fulfills our deal.”
“Very well,” said Asp, retrieving the coinpurses once again. “And the loan?”
“Another seven gold pieces,” said Ginger. “To be repaid according to your schedule.”
“Let’s make the schedule one year,” said Asp. “You pay them back at whatever pace you like.”
“Very generous,” said Rick. “Thank you, Heather.”
“Thank you,” said Asp. “I’m very excited to do business together.” She counted out two platinum pieces and eleven gold pieces and slid them across the counter.
Rick’s eyes shone at the coins. Probably more than he’s seen altogether in his life, she thought. She looked to Ginger, who was staring blankly at the coins as though she couldn’t comprehend them. Definitely more than she’s ever seen.
“We should be able to expand production, hire someone new, and get shipping wider in the next two months,” said Ginger. “Though we could use some help getting the word out.”
Asp nodded, then realized Ginger meant her. “Oh, I may be able to help,” said Asp, “but I’m terribly busy as you can imagine from the work I’ve described. Perhaps we could hire a salesperson.”
Rick nodded in return. “We could do that,” he said.
“We’d need another gold to make that happen,” said Ginger.
Asp slid another gold piece across the counter. “Make it eight,” she said.
“And the interest?” asked Ginger.
Asp considered. Free money? Keep them feeling grateful? She looked at Ginger. Maybe a small amount to keep her from getting suspicious? She doesn’t seem to like being handed everything on a platter.
“One silver piece per month,” she said finally. “Is that fair?”
“More than fair,” said Rick. “Are you sure?”
“She’s sure, Richard,” said Ginger. “Otherwise she wouldn’t have offered it.”
Asp smiled. “She’s right. I meant to offer it.”
“Agreed,” said Rick, sticking out a hand.
“Agreed,” said Asp, taking and shaking his hand.
“Agreed,” said Ginger after a moment, shaking Asp’s hand.
“I’ll be back in two months’ time to check in,” said Asp, backing towards the door. “Hopefully, everything is going according to plan, and we can address any new concerns.”
“We look forward to it,” said Rick pleasantly. “And thank you again.”
Asp smiled. “We’ll all end up happy from this,” she said. “Good night,” she said as she turned to the door.
“Wait,” said Ginger. She reached under the counter and retrieved a large steel flask. She held it under the vat’s spigot and filled it with wine. She carried it to the counter and held it out to Asp. “It’s a fruit wine,” she said lovingly. “Raspberry, redcurrant, and rose. We call it our ‘R wine.’”
“It smells lovely,” said Asp. She took the flask and sniffed it delicately before taking a sip. Tastes even better than I remember it, she thought. Nothing like part-owning a place to make it sweeter. “Incredible,” she said after daintily swallowing. “Thank you.”
“It’ll make the road better,” said Rick warmly. “Happy travels!”
Asp held the flask up to toast with it. “To Thimblefull Vineyards,” she said.
“Cheers,” said Rick and Ginger.
Asp smiled and headed out the door. All along the walk home, she sipped at the wine, which seemed only to get sweeter. Not bad for a day’s work, she thought. The job with Edith and the gang more than paid for the vineyard. And Agnes may be off my back now. Not a bad day. She sipped the wine again. Not a bad day.
—
Asp knocked on the door twice and stood back. Her mother opened the door.
“Heather,” she said, surprised. “So soon after your last visit. To what do I owe the honor?”
Asp closed her eyes and rolled them, a tendency she had learned being around her mother. “I was gifted some wine, and I wanted to share,” she said.
“Oh?” said Lily. “Come in.”
Asp stepped inside and sat down at the empty table. She glanced at her father’s empty seat, before which sat the unfolded paper with the five silver coins.
“He’ll be home soon,” said Lily pathetically. “If you don’t mind my company.”
Asp waved her off. “Don’t be dramatic, Mom. I came by to see you too.”
Lily placed three glasses on the table. “We don’t have wine glasses, but these will do.”
Asp put on a smile. “These are perfect, Mom,” she said gently as she poured two of the glasses. “It’s a fruit wine. It’s got three Rs, um, raspberry, rose, and . . . Is it currants? But that doesn’t start with an R.”
“Redcurrants,” said Lily, hungrily sniffing her wine. “It smells lovely.”
“Try it,” said Asp. She held up her glass.
Lily glanced into the wine. She looked back at Asp. “You didn’t put anything in it, did you?” she asked. “You haven’t had any yet.”
Asp breathed deeply, keeping her face expressionless. She took a sip of the wine.
Lily frowned. “That was just a little bit,” she said.
Asp put on an exaggerated smile. She drank deeply from her glass. “Happy?” she asked after she swallowed.
Lily smiled and sipped her wine. “Oh, it’s delightful!” she cried.
After all that, Asp thought. “See? I’m not trying to poison you or anything,” said Asp. “Just a nice glass of wine.”
“Where did you get this?” asked Lily. “It came out of a flask?”
“That flask got filled directly from where the bottles get filled,” explained Asp. “It was a gift.”
“Who’s giving you gifts?” asked Lily.
“Some business partners,” said Asp proudly. “I just started working with a winery, and they gave me their newest stuff as a gift.”
Lily narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing that they’re giving you gifts for employment? That’s strange.”
Shit, I hadn’t really thought the story through on this. Why would they be giving me a gift? Asp smiled sweetly. “I was doing some repairs for them. A lot of their stuff was old and needs rebuilt. I did the first part today–reinforcing the casks. They were really pleased with my work.”
Lily looked confused. “I don’t understand–repairs? You?”
“I’ve watched Dad over the years,” Asp said. “I know how to use the tools and get things done.”
“But you’re my Heather,” said Lily. “Man’s work? For you?”
“It’s honest,” said Asp, shrugging. “Are you not worried I’m a criminal anymore?”
Lily scowled. “You were a criminal. I know you’ve changed, but I also know you were up to no good.”
“Well that’s weird,” said Asp. “You sure never stopped treating me like I’m a criminal.”
Lily put her glass down. “Heather, don’t you go twisting things like that. I didn’t know what to think. Forgive me for assuming you’d stayed the same.”
“I’ve changed, Mom,” said Asp. “I’m not helpless anymore.”
“You were never helpless,” said Lily, almost to herself. “That was the problem. You never acted like you needed me.”
Asp studied her mother. You wanted me to need you? You refused to be enough. How dare you act like your own complex is my problem? She breathed deeply. “I did need you, Mom,” she said. “And you didn’t seem to want to be there.”
Lily frowned and pouted. “You never appreciated me,” she said.
“I did!” cried Asp. “But you wouldn’t see it.”
The door thudded closed. Asp turned to see her father walk into the kitchen. His face was blank. He looked at Asp.
“Get out,” he said in a quiet voice.
Asp furrowed her brow. “What are you talking about, Dad?”
“Out,” he repeated, anger in his voice.
“But–” started Asp. “Why–?”
Cedric turned to Lily. “She’s the one who’s been leaving the payments here these last two years. I ran outside after they knocked to see who it was, and Heather was running away down the road. She was a ways off, but I can recognize my own daughter.” He turned to look at Asp. “If you have enough money to support us in secret and take care of yourself, then you’re making dishonest money.” He looked down. “I can’t prevent you from seeing your mother, but I will not speak to you again until you’re living honestly again.” He shook his head. “I wish you had become a different person.”
“But Dad–” Asp said.
“Out,” he said again, defeated.
There’s gotta be a way, she thought. I was delivering it for them this time because the other courier was sick. I made a bunch of money with my jobs and bet them to double what I had. I found a trove of treasure outside of town. I–
“No excuses,” said Cedric, irritated now. “Get out, Heather.”
Asp’s head hung. He’s never been like this before, she thought. It brought her pain to realize it. She stood, grabbed the flask, and walked outside. She was dimly aware that her parents started talking when the door closed, but it was insensible to her.
She wandered home. Her senses were absent; she noticed nothing on the way back home. She was unaware that she had come within inches of colliding with a street fight, or that a child had followed her several blocks, mimicking her exhausted posture. She unlocked her door and went in.
It was pitch black. She stumbled through the room to the bedside table and lit a candle. In the low light, she sat down at her large mirror. Her array of makeups lay in an ordered line presenting a spectrum of darknesses. It’s great that Tabitha could make these new ones easy to remove, she thought. Better for quick changes. She used an ornate pair of scissors to clip a few short strands of hair from the back of her head and laid the hair out on the table. She applied a thin layer of a darker, more golden skin tone, staring blankly at herself in low candlelight.
A different person, she thought.
She opened a drawer and pulled out a small bottle of glue she used to apply eyebrows and eyelashes. She used a small brush to apply the glue to her upper lip, chin, and cheeks. Then she pressed the hair lightly to her skin, where the glue held it. Asp swept her long sandy brown hair up together and fashioned a tiny bun. She fastened the bun with a band and studied herself in the mirror. Her beard looked patchy, but to her surprise, she did actually look like a man.
“Hi, I’m Edgar,” she said in a gravelly voice. She listened to herself talk and readjusted. “Hi, I’m Aaron,” she said in a deeper voice. She shook her head. “Hi, I’m Gilbert,” she said in a slightly squeaky but convincingly male voice. Squeakiness, she thought. I’ll have to work that out. Unless . . . She allowed her gaze to wander from the mirror. Unless Gilbert is a gnome. He sounds just like a gnome. “I’m Gilbert, and I’m a big goofy gnome,” she said, the voice slightly more refined this time. She smiled.
A different person.
Content with her efforts, she wiped the makeup from her face in a smooth motion that she had practiced before the mirrors a dozen times. Asp nodded to herself and lay down. She retrieved the bag of ash and ground the other half of the cube over her mouth. She inhaled. Time slowed down, and she felt herself drifting. Her mind felt as though she were floating off into the ocean, and she welcomed it.
A different person.
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