Unto Dust

002.

After eating, the group scattered in various directions—they left not a single crumb—leaving only Suli and Enjo behind. Suli because Enjo stayed, and Enjo because he and Fiona usually talked business after the others left.

She took an apple out of her cloak and bit into it. It was starting to get slightly mushy, but the flesh was still sweet.

"Thanks to those girls, we're near cleared out. It'll take me awhile to gather up the supplies for new stock," said Fiona. "Sand for the glass charms, herbs, smooth rocks. Another few days to work the magic. At the least." She had in mind a few new products, though she would wait until she finalized the spellings to show them. "I think seven to nine days---longer than usual. I put a bit of extra copury in your share in case anyone goes hungry."

Though Enjo appeared disinterested, she knew he appreciated the gesture. During the long days when she would amass base ingredients and spell them, the children would have to fend for themselves.

He fixed her with a steady, stern glare. "There was a man watching us. Did you see?"

Her chewing slowed. "What did he look like?"

"Dark hair, cut 'round his shoulders. Tall. Thin. Favors rings. Looked like he might have lots of coin to spare."

"He's a mage," said Suli in her slow but steady way.

Both Fiona and Enjo looked at her in surprise.

He frowned. "Didja see him do a spell or sommut?"

The little girl raised a skinny arm and folded her fingers into a fist. Then she dropped her hand to her side. Flexed them, then quickly folded them again. She repeated the movement a few times.

At her gesture, Fiona's fingers twitched, and she hurriedly cast her mind elsewhere before she completed the incantation out of reflex. She forced herself to take another bite of the apple. Chew, chew, swallow.

"He kept doing this. Every time, his rings would sparkle and the air got all weird."

"I dint see anything like that," Enjo said, though he did not sound entirely sure of himself.

"Weird how?" Fiona prompted, trying to settle her nerves.

Suli traced a wave in the air with a finger. "Ripples?" she said after a moment.

Spells of a certain caliber could cause such a disturbance in the air. It was impressive Suli had caught such subtle details from afar. But what reason would a mage have to watch the shop from afar? And more importantly, what kind of magic would one be working from a distance? The answer, Fiona felt, could only be sinister in origin.

"What about his face? Did he look upset? Jerk-like?" Maybe the mage had come to laugh at her shoddy flits.

Enjo scratched his head. "Dunno. I thought he might be someone you know. Why do magic on your shop? Maybe he wants your flit recipe."

Fiona snorted. If he had, he would be sorely disappointed in their quality. Though if he was a mage worth his salt, he would unravel the existing spells and redo the calculations. "Probably not the flits."

"That mage wirn't interested in the shop," piped in Suli. "He was staring at Miss Fi. While he did this." She did the flexing motion with her fist again.

It sent a chill crawling down her spine. Suli had witnessed a mage look straight at her and work spells. She fingered the gem set into the ring she wore on her pinky finger. Was the stone slightly colder than usual?

Sparks flew from the black augmenting stone. Fiona blinked, realizing she had caused Suli to flee behind Enjo and tug at his sleeve. His expression was carefully neutral but his hand was draped over on the handle of his dagger.