Mage Weavers (now on Dreame!) ✓

Chapter 1: Wet Market Chase

/1/
Wet Market Chase

---

IT WAS fishing season in Therron. The alleyway of the wet market was a spectacle of busy sellers that displayed a brilliant array of fresh seafood, laid out in ice. I paved my way through the slippery floors, getting my already rugged leather boots even more dirty.

"Bili na kayo nang siyokoy diyan!" Sigaw ng isang ale that wore an ugly checkered apron as she poured another bucket of ice onto the sliced parts of the mythical creature that sat in gray, silver trays.

Tinuloy ko lang ang pag-lakad as my fingers fumbled and held onto the moon pendant that hung around my neck, trying to look as innocent as possible. Maraming tao ngayon sa paligid; I could easily swindle money from these fools. I just needed one lucky victim.

"Magandang hapon," A deep voice from somewhere in the crowd caught my ear. Sharply turning my gaze to the left, I caught eye of a man in his late 30's, in front of a stall that was selling rare mermaid meat.

He was wearing a black coat, with his hair waxed, kept and tidy. Matingkad tumayo ang lalaki at may suot na isa get malaking relo ito na kulay ginto.

I tried not to smile.

"Magkano ang isa?" He asked the butcher who was busy scathing off the teal-blue scales on one mermaid's tail. "Isang libo para sa isang sirena," Tugon ng manghihiwa. "Ilan para sa'yo?"

"Gawin mo nang tatlo," Sabi nang lalaki. I almost winced at his reply. Tatlong libo ang gagastusin para lang sa pagkain? Fuck the rich.

With a steady target at my reach, I then walked towards the stall next to him that was selling something cheaper: small oysters. Habang kunwaring namimili ng mga talaba, I glanced towards the butcher through my peripheral vision. Maingat kong pinanood ito na nag-lagay ng tatlong kilo ng hiniwang sirena sa isang malaking plastic bag.

"Maraming salamat ginoo," Sabi nito at agad na tumango ang mayamang lalaki bago kinuwha ang pinamiling sirena at nag-lakad palayo.

"Mukhang makakakain tayo ng lechon ngayong gabi." Sabi ng butcher sa kaniyang kasamahan na maingat na hinuhugasan ang mga laman-loob ng sirenang ibinebenta nila.

Ako rin. Ngiti ko sa sarili at agad na sinundan ang lalaki.

This time, farther down the alley, the rich man stopped in front of a fruit stall and was checking out pears. I sucked in a deep breath and as quickly as I could, stealthily pushed the woman standing next to him, making her fall onto the array of grapes and apples.

Nagulantang ang lahat, at agad na tinulungan ng stall owner pati nung mayamang lalaki yung babaeng tinulak ko. As everyone focused on the chaos, I skillfully reached for the wrist of the man and unclicked his watch, in which the item fell on a basket of apples that lay on the ground. I bent down, picking up an apple along with the watch before sneaking it into the pocket of my jacket.

And then I left.