Phony Potions

Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

My mind spun with worry. I could have come up with a cover story. I should have. I knew that back when I sold the potions. My reasoning was justifiable, but somehow all of my words had failed me. Mallow thought the travesty of the situation was that I had gone against our agreement, but the thing that really worried me was how I had stumbled over my own words like an amateur. She was right to be disappointed in me, though not for the reasons she believed.

Dodging and darting past other people on the street became more and more of a problem as the path Mallow cut through the crowd grew more distant. The first few seconds of the chase everyone had been so stunned that I had had an easy run after her, but soon the streets were filling up again with people in her wake, whispering to each other with excited scandal. Kids would either come out and chase her cautiously or hide in their houses, noses and fingertips peeking around doorways as they watched, hoping to remain unseen. The ones in their houses weren't the problem, but it was hard enough keeping Mallow in my sight without having to constantly check underfoot to make sure I didn't trample a brat.

Two blocks later, she had pulled so far ahead of me, I couldn't see her anymore. That was one reason I stopped. The other was my lungs were scorching, and I had to lean against a stone fence to catch my breath. Breathing felt like tossing handfuls of water onto a fire in my chest. After a few moments, the fire did wane. I blinked away the sweat that had rolled down from my forehead. Chasing her like a dog after a shadow slink wouldn't work.

"Excuse me..." I said, controlling the exhausted wobble in my voice. "You saw the Moon Giant that ran through here, right?" I asked of a terrified young woman who had been hurrying in the other direction. She impatiently stopped.

"Yes?"

"What way... was she going?" I asked.

"I don't know, that way, toward the houses near the wall," she said, her face pinched. "I don't care how big this celebration is, having a fake Moon Giant like that running around is scaring everyone. Especially with it howling that way? Distasteful, repugnant."

"Fake?" I asked.

"They certainly wouldn't let a real one wander around unchaperoned!" she said, scandalized. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go let the authorities know what I think of this!" And with that, she lifted her dress a little so the hem didn't drag on the dirt, and ran away in a very unladylike fashion.

I continued to ask people where Mallow had gone. It was easy to tell which ones had spotted her recently by their dazed expressions. Most were helpful, but I soon realized I was getting conflicting reports. A man on horseback told me to go right at the small plot of flowering trees, one of the BROS from the restaurant helpfully suggested I go left. So I couldn't catch up through will power, and second hand investigations weren't helping either.

I should have stayed on higher ground. Then I could have seen several streets at once without relying on unreliable witnesses. I found a home made out of unevenly protruding bricks that had an assortment of crates stacked next to it. I climbed up the crates, getting me up to the second story, but I needed the roof. I shook out my fingers, and thankful Winsor had healed my injuries so this wouldn't be too painful, I dug them into the gap between the bricks as high as I could. I pulled, using my feet to gain traction. The grit of the surface bit into my skin, but I got a few feet higher. Another arm-shaking tug upwards and I was parallel with the third story windows. I was starting to think this was almost fun when the shutters next to me opened with a resounding thwack. A person didn't emerge, but rather a thistly broom. Me and the broom became quickly acquainted as it slammed into my face. I turned my head, and then it began smacking into my back solidly. I managed to hold on despite the shock.