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Chapter 9
Mace
On the fourteenth day since Viola left us, we exit the Tabria rainforest and reach the abundant coastal city of Feria.
The city itself is sprawling, larger than the three others we have visited by far. People wander the streets, children play in the town squares, and fishermen shout from the docks. "Did you know this city was so big?" Plume asks me under her breath.
I shake my head, unable to tear my eyes away from the sheer number of people filtering down the streets. "None. All of the records report a very low population. I had no idea. It's got to be the size of Ytopie."
"I think so too," Morrow says from Plume's other side. "It's richer than the other cities, too. I don't see the poverty here I saw in Dalery."
Tulip skips ahead of us, the lone human in a crop of fae, arms full of edible vegetation that we collected during our journey through the rainforest. She is fearless in a way that Viola is not as she approaches street vendors and barters for food, drink, and a new head scarf for Morrow. When she places the burnt orange cloth in his hands, he gapes, fingers digging into the silky fabric. "What's this for, wife?"
"Well, you've been letting me wear yours. It only seems right that I replace it." She places a chaste kiss on his cheek and then is off again, conversing with people as we keep six paces behind her.
The people here look happy, most of them with rich, deep skin and bright eyes. Their clothing is vibrant in bright azures, brilliant oranges and yellows, and seductive reds. Most of the men wear pants cut off at the knee and leather sandals, while the women wear swishing skirts or pants with wide, billowing legs. The men are shirtless or sporting open vests, with few wearing full tunics, and the women wear decorated chest wraps, their stomachs on display, or gauzy blouses that are nearly translucent.
This city is not at all what I was expecting.
It is bustling with activity, culture, and life. I was expecting a barely inhabited city of people struggling to make ends meet, and instead, I find a place I could see myself spending a significant amount of time in.
I wish Viola were here to see this.
"I've gotten us a room for the next two nights," Tulip says, shaking me out of my thoughts. She presses a small metal key in my hand. "They have rooms you can rent out here, can you believe it? To have extra space like that!" She sighs dreamily. "It's incredible here."
"How'd you pay for a room?" I ask her, turning the keyover in my palm.
"Turns out those spindly blue things Plume boosted the growth of are a very powerful medicine. They're worth a lot." She pulls her pack off and opens it, showing me she still has handfuls of root. "I think we're all set for the time being."
"I don't even know where to begin," I admit, following Tulip into a large stone building. Inside, the noise of glasses and chatter and the slightly too-sweet smell of soured alcohol greet me. "A tavern?" I ask, whipping my head towards Tulip.
She points up a set of stairs. "Rooms are up there. But hey, a drink couldn't hurt, now could it?" She leads us to the rooms where we store our things. On the way down the steep staircase, I notice the attention we've garnered.
It's not like the attention we got in the other three cities. No, these people don't look shocked to see fae in their midst. They just seem curious. I slip onto a backless stool and lean my elbows onto the scuffed wooden bar top. Plume sits to my left, with Morrow on my right and Tulip on his. The bartender walks over to us, eyes narrowed.
"Tulip, you didn't tell me your companions were fae," he says with a sense of familiarity.
She shrugs, pushing her hair from her face. "To be fair, Quade, when I told you I needed some rooms, you didn't ask."
"S'pose you're right," he says, swinging his head to look at all four of us. "Whatcha drinkin'?"
"That liqueur you told me about?" Tulip asks with a glimmer in her eye. "You wouldn't believe the shit we've been through, we definitely need to unwind."
He grabs a bottle of afirey orange liquid and pours us all healthy portions in low glasses. "Zzar," he says, shoving them towards us. "Feria delicacy." The first sip of the nutty liquid doesn't go down easily for me, but after that initial bite, I find it quite smooth.
"Did you get today's messages out?" I say, turning to Plume.
She takes a sip of the zzar and nods slowly. "I did. It's strange not knowing if they're being received."
"We just have to hope, I guess. What else can we do?" Cutting my eyes to the right, I notice Morrow fuming at the attention Tulip is getting from the bartender, Quade. I tap his elbow with mine. "You're going to set him on fire if you keep staring like that."
"Good riddance," he says, tossing back the entirety of his glass. "How does she manage to attract this much attention everywhere she goes?"
"Ask yourself. She captured yours basically immediately if memory serves." My glass is empty now, too, and I raise it as I catch Quade's eye. He nods and tops all of us off.
The tavern behind us is alive, people snaking in and out as the day goes on. Eventually, there is a lull after the dinner hour has passed but before the late group piles in, and Quade uses that time to press us for details of our visit.
"Have you heard any rumors about the Gods lately?" Plume asks in her gentle voice. She snuck off at some point to get cleaned up, and her hair is still wet and braided long down her back. Despite the fact that we've been on the run for almost twomonths now, she still manages to look poised.
