A Court of Water and Shadow

11

The clothier shop wasn't far from Verida's cabin. Males stared at us as we passed—some of them sneered while other's looked at me as if I was their next meal. My hand moved to my dagger as we passed, even though I didn't know what to do with it. Maybe I'd have more luck shoving water down their throat until they stopped looking at me like that.

Cassian opened the door to the shop, a small bell chimed to notify the owner of our presence. He was a tall male with a permanent frown and dark brown eyes. He looked like he should be chopping off the heads of the beasts that lurked in the forests instead of fussing over his profitable business. Not that a male couldn't own a clothier shop, just that he looked like murder was constantly on his mind.

"How can I help you two?" His voice was gruff and deep, causing me to hold my breath in fear.

Cassian didn't seem phased by the male's dominant tone. Instead, he put his hands on his hips and darkened his gaze. "We're here to speak to Emerie."

The male straightened and narrowed his eyes at us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a young girl peer out from behind an archway, the cloth blocking it providing her cover. "About?" The male asked with gritted teeth.

Cassian opened his mouth to respond, but I spoke up. "I require new leathers. I'm told this was the place to go if I wanted the best quality. Is it not?"

The male gave me an irritated glance. "It is. I can—"

"I was also told that Emerie creates the best female leathers." I cut in, steeling myself despite the fear thrumming through me.

The male scoffed. "Who told you this?"

"Does it matter? We want your business and my friend requires Emerie's expertise." Cassian took a step closer to me.

"Emerie is not an expert." The male bared his teeth at us.

After watching so many plays, I had picked up a thing or two about acting. So, with determination being my driving force, I walked right up to the leathers on the rack and pretended to look over them with interest. I glided my hands over the stitching and clicked my tongue. "Who made this?" I said in a neutral tone. Depending on the male's reaction, I would either love the garment or hate it.

The male gave me a smug look and crossed his arms. "I did, of course."

I grunted with a frown, then flicked the leathers back like it meant nothing to me. "Of course," I mocked him. "This is why I require a female to create my leathers. A male could never care about the small details that I require." I cringed mentally as my feminism barked at me, but I needed to speak to Emerie alone.

The male gave me an incredulous look, then gave Cassian a deadly one. "Get your female out of my shop before I drag her out."

Cassian bared his teeth, but I was the one to respond. "I'm not anyone's female. You want my coin? You want to be known as the male who owns the shop that a member of our High Lord's court purchased from? You will have Emerie do my measurements and create my leathers. If you deny me, you can guarantee that I will have no good words to pass along to wondering Fae or to our generous High Lord. Do I make myself clear?"

I was shaking internally and felt as if I would vomit right here in the male's shop, but instead I glared at him, waiting for a response.

He glared right back at me, and through gritted teeth, he finally spoke. "Fine. Emerie, tend to this female." The male stormed off through the archway that Emerie was hiding behind, but now she was standing out in the open.

Her long dark hair was swept aside in a long braid. She had a deep tan like mine and brown eyes like the male's—which I could only assume was her father. The way she carried herself when her father disappeared was pure authority and self-assurance, completely different from the female who hid a few moments ago. She eyed the two of us skeptically, then gestured to a private room. "I'll measure you in here."