by Sky Croft
Blake held up a lantern. “All of these, plus the candles, come to no more than a bronze coin. The tools are two bronze each. The twine isn’t worth mentioning. And the rope,” she hesitated briefly. “Only because of their length, they could be worth a silver each—if you racked up the cost. Though of course the thirty coil would be under.” Blake made a show of tallying the amount. “So, I make it under four silver. That’s nowhere near a gold coin.”
Blake was honest enough with herself to know that by being rude to her, Diokles had unwittingly done himself out of money. And his greed had only incensed her further. Though it was true they had plenty of money with them, it had now become about the principle of it, rather than the actual cost. After all, Shale had just been exceptionally generous with Pathos, the kindly market vendor—though he hadn’t been trying to rob them blind.
Diokles was frowning, clearly annoyed that his attempt to extract more coin from them had backfired. “Fine.” He huffed out a breath. “Five silver. But no less. I’m the only blacksmith around, and that--” he gave Blake a dagger-like glare. “You cannot quibble with.”
“Five silver.” Blake held up a finger to forestall him. “But only on the understanding that we can store our goods here, until we come back to pick them up.”
Diokles folded his massive arms on his chest. “If you’re taking up working space, I want paying extra.”
“Oh no, what I’ve given you is more than enough. Take it or leave it.”
Diokles grunted as he nodded. “Five silver.”
Blake flipped a single silver coin, which he caught in his meaty fist. “You’ll get the rest when we collect our things.”
Diokles gave a nod of reluctant acceptance. “Women,” he muttered, as if it were a curse.
The transaction now complete, Blake led the way outside.
Shale called back to Diokles. “Nice doing business with you.”
Blake chuckled, slapping Shale amusedly on her midriff.
“What?” Shale batted innocent eyelashes at Blake. “You didn’t like him?”
“What gave it away?” Blake felt the tension drain from her as Shale took her hand. “I owe you a kiss for that list comment.”
Shale smiled. “The man was an ass.” Her voice lowered in obvious imitation of him. “A woman knows nothing of trade.” Shale nudged Blake with a hip, admiration written on her face. “You certainly showed him.”
Blake allowed herself a moment of self-satisfaction, and she grinned at Shale. “I did, didn’t I?”
“Definitely. He didn’t know what hit him.”
“It’s a good thing we went, for I think Kale might’ve tossed the foolish oaf into his own forge.”
Shale tilted her head, a small smile appearing. “I can just picture that.”
Chapter Twelve
PEERING UP AT the position of the sun, Shale was surprised by how much time had passed. They’d been in the blacksmiths for a long while. “Do you wish to look at the market stalls? It’s a lot less crowded now.”
“Amber and Kale will be waiting.”
Shale pointed farther down the marketplace—Kale and Amber were busy admiring a stall themselves.
Shale tugged Blake to a clothes stall. The items there giving her a sudden revelation. “We’ve forgotten something vital.”
Blake’s brow creased in puzzlement. “We have?”
“How are we carrying all these supplies? Our own bags are full.” She leaned in and spoke quietly into Blake’s ear. “Not to mention anything we find in the caves.”
“Of course. We need bags.” Blake smacked her temple in disgust at the oversight. “Though I’d have thought any gold would already be in bags. The thieves had to get it there somehow.”
“True. But the bag that held the coins was useless,” Shale said. “Its age had eroded its strength.”
“Then we’d better buy some. But I have no idea how many we’ll need.” Blake paused, then answered her own question. “Since we’ll only be able to carry one bag of gold each, I’ll get four.”
Another idea came to Shale. “It was freezing down in the caves. Perhaps trousers and long tops would be wise? We don’t know how long we’ll be down there.”
“You came up wet,” Blake said. “What about extra blankets to dry ourselves off?”
Shale clasped her shoulder in recognition of a smart proposition. “Yes. Good. We’ll get soaked by the river, and we don’t want to risk losing our bed blankets.”
An old lady behind the stall came forward. She smiled in a friendly manner. As Shale listed off the items, the woman selected the articles and placed them in easy view.
“I think these will fit you, dear,” she said to Blake, handing her a folded pair of trousers and a thick, warm-looking shirt. “I have the trousers in brown or black, and the shirt in red, green, blue, and...” She checked through the pile of clothes. “Black also.”
Blake held the trousers against herself, as if to check the length of the leg, and the width of the waist. She looked up in surprise. “These are just right.”
The old woman tapped her nose. “I have a good eye.”
“I’ll take the brown trousers, and,” Shale pushed the green top her way, causing Blake to smile. “And the green shirt.”
“It brings out your eyes,” Shale said simply.
She inspected the four bags, assessing their strength. She found them to be of good quality, quite suitable for the trials ahead. She felt through the selection of blankets, choosing the thickest by its feel between her thumb and forefinger. She selected four of that kind, and placed them alongside the bags.
“My, you are tall,” the old woman said to Shale. “I’ll have to give you trousers meant for men.”
Blake laughed, and Shale made a face at her. “That’s fine.” She held out a hand for the clothes. “Trousers are trousers.”
As Shale tried the trousers against herself, she found the length was right, but they were too wide. “Any smaller around the waist?”
“Afraid not. That’s the closest I’ve got.”
“Any belts?”
“Of course.” The old woman handed her a shirt. “The arms may be a bit short. I could give you a man’s, but that will hang off you.”
Shale bit her lip, and regarded Blake in amusement. “Now you see why Kale and I have so few outfits.” The shirt, upon examination, actually wasn’t too bad—the sleeves came to just below her elbow. “This will do. It’ll still be considerably warmer than what I’m wearing now.”
Blake nodded. “If it’s too baggy it’ll get in your way. That one’s fine.”
“I’ll take two of everything.” She might as well get some for Kale too, while they were here. “Belts too. Black trousers and,” Shale laughed as Blake copied her earlier action, though the shirt Blake pushed toward her was blue. “Blue shirts.”
The old woman nodded eagerly, gathering all of the items together.
“I know Amber already has trousers, but I wonder if her shirt’s warm enough.”
“We’ll ask her when we see her,” Shale said, assisting the old woman by opening one of the bags they were about to buy so she could slip the now neatly folded clothes inside. The belts went in next, and the blankets went into another bag. Shale chivalrously shouldered the lot as Blake paid for their purchases, the old woman smiling happily as they talked.
Shale walked on to the next stall, but as she passed the gap between the stands, she noticed a man sat slumped against the wall of the house behind. He was unmoving, so she slipped between the stalls, intending to see if he needed aid. As she closed in on him, she saw that the tattered rags he wore were in such a state they barely resembled clothes anymore. Her nose scrunched up. The man stank of stale sweat and he desperately needed to bathe. He clearly hadn’t done so in a while, for he was covered from head-to-toe in filth, his long matted hair and bushy beard unruly and unkempt. It was obvious that he was homeless, with either no one left, or no one willing to take care of him. It seemed even he ha
d given up on himself.
Shale squatted down beside the man, though she was careful to keep some distance. “Hello?” she said quietly, not wanting to startle him. “Do you need help? Are you hurt?”
Dark blue eyes blinked. The man looked startled by her mere acknowledgment of his presence. Shale guessed that most people would walk right on past, not even caring enough to give him a second glance.
He straightened as his gaze landed on the sword strapped to her back.
Shale was quick to reassure him. “I have no intention of harming you. I just wanted to see if you were all right. Are you hurt?”
His gaze remained suspicious. “Only by life,” he finally said.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Shale didn’t inquire further, it wasn’t her business to pry. Keeping her motions slow, she gestured toward the marketplace. “There is a stall that sells good clothes, blankets that will help keep you warm.”
Between two fingers, Shale held out her remaining gold coin. The last of her reward. “This will be enough. And it’ll keep you in food for a while.”
The man’s bloodshot eyes nearly popped out of his head. “That’s more money than I used to earn in a season, at least when I had regular work.” Suspicion turned to accusation. “What do you want for it?”
“Nothing. Though I’d prefer you not to waste it on drink. That said, it’s yours to do as you will.”
The gold coin was plucked from Shale’s fingers. “Why’d you give this to me?”
Shale shrugged. “Do I need a reason?” At his nod, she said, “Perhaps the gods are smiling on you.”
He scoffed, though his crooked teeth showed in a smile. “It’d be a first.”
“Believe me, I know what it is to feel like the gods have abandoned you.”
“Pissing on me more like,” he muttered.
Shale grinned. “That, too.” She’d felt that way when her tribe had been killed, when everything she’d known had been taken from her. “But things got better for me, and they will for you too. You can’t give up on yourself.” She paused to let that sink in. “If you use that coin I gave you to clean yourself up, it’ll be a fresh start. And once you find work, there’ll be no stopping you.”
He leaned forward, a hopeful yearning appearing on his face. “Things got better for you?”
“Much better. They will for you too,” Shale said again, drumming the point home. As she stood, she reached out and lightly squeezed his arm. “Don’t give up.”
His nod had some life to it, as well as newfound belief. “You’ve been kind enough already, but may I ask your name?”
“It’s Shale.”
“Shale.” He smiled as he said it. “Well, Shale, I don’t know how to thank you. I’m in your debt.”
“There’s no need.” Shale waved him off. “Just remember what I said. Don’t give up.”
The answering nod was steady now, sure. “I’ll do my best.”
Shale smiled. She turned around, and was surprised to find Blake between the two stalls, watching her with such loving tenderness that Shale felt her breath catch. Her smile grew as she closed the small distance. “How long have you been there?”
“Long enough.” Blake stretched up and kissed her on the cheek. “If I wasn’t joined to you already, Shale, I’d ask for your hand right this instant.”
Blue eyes sparkled back at her. “And I would say yes.”
THE FOUR AMAZONS all entered the tavern together, having met up in the marketplace. It was busy inside, and nearly all of the patrons were men, most of which directed curious stares their way. Surprisingly, no one commented or jeered, as drunkards often did when liquor had taken their reason and loosened their tongues.
Blake suspected the unusual restraint was down the three warriors by her side, each well-armed and oozing confidence. She had to smile as they protectively nestled her in between them, Amber in front of her, Shale behind. Kale led the group to the counter, each woman taking in her surroundings with a careful and meticulous eye.
The tavern was dark and dingy, the light from the day outside all but lost in the shadowy room. The only useful light came from the lanterns, which were fixed along the walls, or hung overhead from the low ceiling. The drab gray stone of the walls only added to the gloom. The excess of wooden furniture—in particular the tables and chairs— seemed to only clutter up the space, drawing the room in on itself so it was almost claustrophobic, even though in reality, it was actually a good size.
Upon reaching the counter, which was worn smooth from years of use, they waited for their turn to be served. When the serving girl came to them, though in truth she was much more woman than girl, she reacted to the twins as most people did, staring at them in disbelief, as if they were some trick of her imagination.
Blake gave her a moment to recover, but still she stared, not-at-allsubtle. Blake cleared her throat in annoyance, frowning when the long stare continued. The woman was looking back and forth between Shale and Kale with obvious interest, seemingly fascinated.
“They’re twins, yes,” Blake said irritably. “Now will you serve us some drinks?” The woman appeared to remember her manners, for she tore her eyes away, focusing instead on Blake. “Sorry. What can I get for you?”
“What meals do you serve?” Kale asked, drawing the server’s attention back to her.
“We only have chicken broth or rabbit stew left. The best food goes at lunch.”
Kale smacked the counter loudly in disappointment, making Blake start a little. She noticed the server didn’t so much as blink, and assumed she likely had to deal with such antics all the time.
“She’ll take rabbit,” Shale said for Kale. “I’ll have the chicken. Blake?”
“Chicken for me also, please.”
“The same,” Amber said. “And four mugs of ale.”
The server talked to them as she poured their drinks. “I haven’t seen an Amazon around here for a while. I’d heard the tribe east of here was wiped out.”
“It was,” Shale said freely. “Kale and I here are all that remains.”
The server shook her head sympathetically. “How awful. You wouldn’t believe half of the stories I hear, with people passing through. It seems that no matter what direction you live, there’s a dispute of one kind or another.”
“Dispute?” Kale raised an eyebrow. “We had no dispute. Our tribe’s fate was decided on the whim of a mad man.”
The server’s jaw clenched. “I meant no offense.” She passed out their drinks, then gestured across the room. “A table has become free. Why don’t you go and sit down, and I’ll bring you your food. My name is Tanis, so if you need anything further, just call out.”
Blake smiled at her, feeling somewhat bad for the woman. She’d only been trying to make conversation, it wasn’t her fault that she didn’t know the full story. “Thank you, Tanis,” she said, by ways of an apology. Tanis looked surprised by the response, but she nodded and returned Blake’s smile.
“What’s got into you?” Amber asked as she followed Kale toward the empty table, weaving their way around chairs and other patrons.
“Rabbit stew,” Kale said.
“That’s no reason to snap at the woman.” Amber pulled out the chair next to Kale’s and sat down. “She was merely being friendly.”
“I don’t like being stared at.” Kale took a swig of her ale. “I thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head.”
Shale set her mug down on the table before taking a seat opposite Kale. “Her stare was excessive.”
“And that reminds me,” Kale said. “Earlier I ran into a man, or rather, he ran into Amber and I, who was crying like a babe. He started ranting about not wanting me to take off his hand. I take it that had something to do with you?”
“He tried to rob Blake.” Shale shrugged. “We threatened to take his hand for punishment. A simple scare tactic.”
Kale chuckled and clinked their mugs together. “Well it worked. He was petrified when we saw him, wasn’
t he, Amber?”
Her red hair bounced as she nodded. “I think he’s learnt his lesson.”
Blake leaned beneath the table and began to search through her satchel. She came up holding the two embroidered pouches that contained her new necklaces, and she passed them to Amber. “Look what Shale got me,” she said, casting a doting smile Shale’s way.
Amber’s eyebrows shot up as she withdrew the necklace, letting out a low whistle of approval. “It’s so elegant. It really suits you, Blake.” Blake smiled at the compliment, but before she could respond, Amber added, “I bet it cost a fortune.”
Blake nodded. “It did.”
“Blake’s worth it,” Shale said seriously, smiling when Blake raised her hand and kissed it.
“Gods,” Kale muttered at their affectionate display. She took another swallow of her drink. “The ale is good at least.”
They all ignored her as Amber opened the second pouch. “Ooo, this necklace is nice as well.”
Kale’s voice rose a notch. “Do you have any money left?”
Shale crossed her arms defensively. “I wanted to get something nice for Blake.”
“How sweet of you.”
Amber pointedly cleared her throat. “Look what Kale bought me.” She produced a finely-worked hair clasp.
Shale shook her head at Kale. “You were saying?”
“It’s lovely, Amber.” Blake studied the hair clasp, smirking across at Kale as she returned her earlier taunt. “Kale, how sweet of you.”
“Mine isn’t sweet,” Kale said. “My gift is practical.” She scowled at Amber. “Did you have to show them that now?”
Amber’s look was innocence itself. “Why not? Blake was showing me her gifts.”
Kale harrumphed and folded her arms. “Where’s the damn food?”
As if the words conjured her, Tanis appeared, two steaming bowls in hand. “Here you go.” She put the food down on the table, hesitating as she glanced confusedly between the twins.
