Fake Princess
CHAPTER 59
The next day, I managed to mess up the locator spell Paula taught me so badly that, instead of finding the needle she placed on the table, I pulled all the drawers out to hit the wall.
“ You're not concentrating,” snapped Paula while pointing the drawer back to where it was. “ You only imagine the needle, not the other.”
“ I know, I know,” my grunts while sitting slumped on the bench. “ I only...” I was thinking about Devan, whether he was chatting with Diana. It was late afternoon, it was time for the nobles of the palace to seek coolness in the room before dinner. I feel drained, tired & grumpy like a wet cat, & other emotions. Emotions that remind me, even though I want to deny it, of jealousy. “ I'll do even better,” my promise.
“ No, I think I've had enough of my lessons messed up this day, or maybe even five days, “ Paula said as she shook her head. “ There are pharmacists...foreign men, very high..in the district of magicians who promised to order Farvasee blood fig seeds, should now be there. I want one full jar, or as many as it can give.” After getting rid of the rabbit skull and paint palette, Paula found an empty jar and handed it to me, along with a handful of coins.
I nodded and headed towards the door. “ I'm sorry,” I said from behind my shoulder before opening the door.
“ Remember what I said about the crow,” snorted Paula.
At that moment I saw the man. Skinny man, with long brown hair, slightly somber face, wearing brown tights & regular tunics. Not the one who's gonna make you turn to look at her. She was rubbing the metal biral that was fencing the stairs towards the house opposite Paula's house, her clothes draped in varnish. I would not be aware of his whereabouts, but his sudden movements caught my eyes as I bent over to tie the shoelaces. The man stopped, just as I stopped, and did not move until I stood up and walked again.
Don't be silly, I said in my heart. It's just a coincidence. But I could not shake the feeling of goosebumps on my scalp, and I managed to peek back after turning twice.
The man followed me. He walked half a block behind me, his eyes not on me. The man looked like any other man who was hired for a day in one of the merchant houses, on the way to his next job. But he turned the same road as me, and never left more than half a block.
Now my heart's pounding, but I don't know what to do. Should I just go back to Paula's? But Paula probably won't believe me, given my strange attitude over the past few days. Should I call a city guard? No, the guard obviously won't believe me, because I'm sure the man will disappear before I finish taking a breath. The traitorous side in me wanted to snap my fingers, call a message ball, and send it directly to Devan, but even in fear I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Seriate