Black Ice ✓ | Deathsworn #1

Chapter 20 ∞ Barter

Mistress Veronika and I arrived at the seaside bazaar. The air was tangy. It was a mix of the salty breeze of the sea and smells unique from a distant land—not the most compelling place to be in, but intriguing enough to encourage one to stay. There was an explosion of colors in every direction, languages floating with every turn of the head, a clutter of all sorts happening. The sails of the ships had the most intriguing symbols, all were intricate and weaved with painstaking details. Tents sprung like trees in the forest, their fruits the many merchandize they offer.

I descended from the carriage, stepping on the stool to make my alighting easier. Jovann, our driver, had helped me descend. I looked around in wonder from under the shadows of my cape and, for once, felt it would be comfortable for me to throw it back.

I didn't have to do anything to act on that thought as a gust of wind blew back my hood, causing my honeyed red curls to spring under the fiery sun. I tried to catch it to no avail.

I caught Mr. Jovann stare for a moment until my Mistress Veronika peeked out from the carriage. He immediately turned to the mistress and held out a hand to help her down. I stepped to the side to wait, relishing the warmth of the sun on my skin and fingering my skirt hesitantly as I cast my gaze about.

"What do you think, Evy?" my mistress inquired.

"It's...wow..." I muttered speechlessly. I got a little nauseous though, seeing how many people there were. If I could, I would simply remain in the carriage and wait for Mistress Veronika to go about her business—but that would be defeating the purpose of coming here.

"I'm sorry, Evy. I know how much you hate large crowds. Stick by me," she told me. "The people here have come to trade. Using money will cost you a lot, but if you can offer products they've never seen before, then you can strike a good bargain."

"Really?" I fought back the urge to run back to the carriage and made sure my feet remained planted. These people were not going to hurt me. I had my mistress by my side. She would protect me.

"That's how this place works."

"What are you going to give them?" I inquired.

"Jovann, our luggage, if you may," my mistress said with a smile. "Be careful with them, please."

Jovann pulled our luggage from the top of the carriage and carefully set each one on the ground. Seeming to read my mistress' intentions, he carefully pulled on the clasps of each and opened them to reveal bottles upon bottles of perfume.

My brows shot high and I panicked. "Are these..."

"You've been working on so many things these past six years. You've given your mistresses and I too many for ourselves. We agreed to gather the excess ones and barter for other things. You also have many on your shelves collecting dust and the stockroom was starting to get crowded. Of course, we only took the acceptable and the extra ones."

I scratched my head, pouting. "Mistress, are these even fit to be traded off? These aren't exactly the top of the tier..."

"Trust your craft, Evy. You are good at what you do," Mistress Veronika said. "Some of these scents are beyond the qualities of what you can find anywhere. Selling these solely through that shop back in Venerya cripples your potential."

Was she talking about the shop Scents and Papers? But I've known that place since I was six. I trusted that guy there too. If I was to be honest, these scents weren't mine—though I would have a hard time finding a reason for that one if I were to ever confess. They were my mother's from my past life. I was only trying to replicate all the best things she'd ever made to remind me of everything. Smelling them and mixing them gave me some peace of mind.