The Gold in the Dark

Chapter Twenty

Tia ripped open the letter, then let out a whoop.

Wynna raised an eyebrow as she surveyed her over her breakfast. "You haven't been that excited about anything since they served ice-river shrimp for dinner last week." Tia would never have suspected it, but she'd grown nostalgic for skeet tail stew, and ice-river shrimp were just similar enough she'd put away two plates and contemplated a third.

"Natlin's coming for the Queen's Fair!" she cried, her excitement bubbling over. She scanned the rest of the letter, hearing the words in Natlin's singsong voice.

Dear Tia,

That's wonderful news—both the Queen's Fair and the boy! I'm excited for you, and Da promised me I can come with him in the caravan. We should reach the city a day or so before the fair officially begins, gods willing.

I know it must have been riveting reading all about Milvin's chicken fiasco in my last letter. You know how Fenlick is—not exactly the most thrilling town in Hygot. So I'm happy to report I actually have something really, truly notable to share with you!

These three men came into the shop wanting a bunch of supplies—blankets, ropes, those sorts of things. Looked like they were gearing up for a journey. While I was packing everything up for them they noticed the Mirish goods in the corner, and one of the men started asking me about the bogmen. He said he was looking for some rare items and hoped I could acquaint him with one of our runners. So I told him it wasn't my business, but it looked like he was about to leave town and that special requests for the runners take time. He said he didn't care, he'd like to talk it over with a runner anyway. I didn't want to irritate a paying customer, and he was paying quite a lot, so I told him I knew just the right bogman for the job. (You see? You always said I was bad with customers, but I'm learning!)

So I put him in touch with Hob, who turned them down straightaway once he found out what they wanted. And then came and told me, of course. And can you believe it? They wanted to go with him into Bleskar, but they still wouldn't tell him what they were looking for! Madmen. Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?

This is getting long, so I'll stop here. Tia, I can't wait to see you, and I think of you every day.

Your loving sister,

Natlin

Tia felt a stab of homesickness as the letter ended. Didn't Natlin know her letters were never too lengthy? At least it wouldn't be long until the caravan arrived and she could give her sister a proper hug.

And a pinch as well, she decided—sharp enough for her older sister to admit she'd embellished the truth a bit in her letter. Nobody in their right mind would want to go deep into the bog, even with a bog runner as a guide. Mirish boys trained with experienced runners for years before they were ready to venture on solo trips through Bleskar. Even so, accidents still happened. A good number of the bogmen who had worked with the Yarren Street merchants over the years had suffered career-ending injury or worse as a consequence of their dangerous profession.

So she didn't believe it—but it did make for an entertaining story.

~

The newly discovered nooks and crannies of Haplyr had haunted Tia's mind ever since she'd gone on her tour of the city. If Roge deemed a place important, even a former millinery shop, then it was important to her as well. Unfortunately, there was no time for more city exploration, or even more tutoring. With the Queen's Fair so close, every spare moment outside of class was taken up by rehearsals.

Yet Roge was never far from her mind. She felt him there beside her when she sipped her tea at breakfast and thought of the sweet vapors rising from their mugs at Madam Klimm's. When snowflakes battered the studio skylights, she remembered their mad dash back home through the snow, soaked through to the bone. And, of course, she looked forward to partnering class. He had taken to throwing her sly smiles or giving her more of a squeeze than necessary when he held her about the waist.