On my way out, I meet the woman who took me in—Hattie—and ask to stay a second night. Although she doesn’t look thrilled and mutters about “charity,” she agrees to let me stay as long as I can pay. Hopefully it won’t come to that, but I must be prepared for all eventualities.
I ask for directions to the nearest shop where I can purchase clothing. Thankfully, it’s not far. The shop she recommends has a beautiful set of blue-gray leathers displayed in the window. When I step inside, a woman watches me from behind a counter cluttered with pin cushions and bits of cut fabric.
Unfortunately, the leathers in the window cost a small fortune, but I find another pair on a discounted shelf. They look a little big, but if I can get my hands on a proper needle and thread, I can fix that right up. “How much are these?” I ask, swinging the hanger toward the shopkeeper.
The woman glowers down her nose at me. “Are they for your employer?”
Are what for my employer? The leathers?
“Well? Surely you must know it’s illegal for Tuath to wear Scathian attire,” she adds when I don’t immediately respond.
Wait a minute…it’sillegalto wear these clothes? A guard’s uniform, I’d understand. But pants and a jerkin? Anyone should be allowed to wear pants if they so choose.
I nod, giving my brain a chance to come up with a plausible explanation. “They’re for my employer’s daughter, actually. She is as tall as me, but a bit leaner in the hips.”
Although the woman’s eyes narrow, she nods and stretches her hand toward me. “That set is fifty pence.”
Good heavens. Do all clothes cost this much? I have no frame of reference since Eason bought my dresses in the human realm, and my aunt hired seamstresses here in Kumulus.
How much I’ve taken for granted in my life. I should’ve tried harder to stand on my own two feet instead of letting Eason carry me. I should’ve thanked my aunt every single day for giving me a safe home, clothes, and food.
The woman’s eyes widen when I withdraw a silver coin from my purse. But when she takes the money, her frown returns. “This is a human coin. We only accept fae currency.”
“It’s still silver.” Melt it down and stamp on the king’s face and it would be the exact same thing.
She shoves the coin back at me. “If this is all you’ve got, best be gone.”
Fine. I didn’t want to buy from someone like her anyway.
Three other shops deny my money.Three. I can’t even buy so much as a bread roll from the market with my human coins.
It’ll be fine. It’ll be fine.
Even if I have to find work to earn some fae coins, it’ll be worth it the moment Senan and I are reunited.
Assuming he is happy to see me.
He will be happy…won’t he?
Eventually, I stumble upon a thrift store selling secondhand clothes. They have no leathers, but there are a few dresses that are in better shape than the ones I brought. I find two that look like they’ll fit and carry them to the desk at the front.
“We don’t accept foreign coins,” says the man behind the till.
Why did I think this place would be different? I should’ve stopped the moment I left the first store instead of wasting an entire day on clothes. “Please. It’s all I have.”
His jaw works as he watches me. After what feels like forever, he huffs a sigh. “I’ll sell them to you, but it’ll cost two pieces of silver.”
Two?But… “One should be more than enough to cover the cost.”
“Exchange rate, ya see.”
Exchange rate, my foot. “That is extortion.”
His lips tug into a sneer. “You want the dresses or not?”
I don’twantthe bloody dresses. Ineedthem. For that reason alone, I pay the exorbitant price. The man “graciously”lets me change into one before leaving. The garment is too wide around the chest and hips, and the rough wool itches something fierce, but at least it’s clean and hides the pitiful state of my boots.
Although I detest the thought of going to the castle looking less than perfect, there is no other choice. I don’t have enough coin to get me through the week. I need Senan’s help.