Plagued by nightmares of her father's imprisonment and Kellan's disappearance, Wren enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth.
But can she be honest with herself? Promised in marriage, she faces the toughest decision of her life--which gu...
Oh, the torture! Sorry for the delay...but TRUST me this chapter is worth it. CAN'T wait to start writing the next one. Enjoy!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Our eclectic entourage snaked its way down the mountainside to the valley below. I tucked the scarf I'd borrowed from Jessica around my face, attempting to prevent people from gawking at the swollen purple marks. The chatter of the open market had been loud enough for us to hear long before we'd ever reached the edge of the city.
The narrow streets forced us to travel single file through the crowded market, bustling with people haggling over price. Each of us had an item or two we wanted to buy before we headed to the afternoon council session, and merchants weren't wasting the opportunity to sell their wares to visitors traveling the cobblestone alleyways.
"Rare stones guaranteed to boost even the lowest skill level," a man with a dusty brimmed hat called, as we rode by.
I inhaled the floral notes and spicy aromas filling the air. They reminded me of Gran.
"Spices! Entice your taste buds with a magical flavor that will leave your guests savoring every bite of your cooking." The woman put the bottle of dried leaves down and raised an opaque container. "Find a rare herb to cure even the most unusual ailment. We have dried herbs of every sort."
"Wren?" Sage jumped from the wagon." She pointed to the lady's cart and cupped her mouth. "There are a few things I'm out of. I'll catch up."
Robin hopped down from the equestar and stood next to Sage. "Don't worry. I'll look after her."
Rygar grimaced and rode past the two of them, following behind us. Fabrics of teal, gold, and silver draped one booth, and the next cart had mountains of dry beans and colorful seeds for sale.
"Sir?" A small boy in cuffed pants and a tan tunic tugged on Jax's pant leg. "You go to council, no?"
Jaxon hugged me close. "I plan to."
The boy turned around and jogged backward. "Then you need fresh clothes, yes?" The boy ran in front of Amaress. "You need my father's shop. We have handsome Fire Circle attire for you and dresses for your lady friend."
Jax tensed. "My lady friend?"
"Your pretty lady partner. She needs Fire Circle dress, no?" He jogged further out in front of us and waved. "Come, we have. You see."
I tapped Amaress' side, and she halted. "I can't very well show up wearing a stained shirt and ripped up pants without causing a scene."
Jax chuckled. "Wren, you can't show up anywhere without causing a scene." He sighed and hopped down. I didn't want to let go of you, but I guess we can't ride forever. He held out a hand to help me down.
"Best dresses in Ora. Come, Miss, you see." The boy disappeared into a side street, and Amaress followed him around the corner.
When we turned into the narrow street, the kid stood outside of a shop next to a cart with several bolts of fabric draped on top of it.
