“Feel free to sample some of the new fruits,” she said, as she walked off to attend to another customer.
We called our thanks to Ms. Herbchild, since she didn’t take any money from us, and walked out of the tent.
I wandered over to another stall and my eyes lit up. Draped in lime-green and lemon-colored muslin, the stall was selling charm bracelets. I went over to have a better look. The lady selling the bracelets was thin and tall, with skin the colour of burnt caramel under a mane of glossy black hair that had been plaited and ran down her back. She wore a plain, white cotton dress and had covered her shoulders with a brown shawl.
“Would you like a charm, my little one?” said the lady, after I had a chance to look around.
I noticed that her skin was heavily tattooed with strange symbols that ran down her arm and the side of her neck, even though she had tried her best to cover them. I wondered what they were as I inspected all the things she was selling.
I shook my head. I knew I had no money, but still I was very intrigued. They looked quite fascinating.
She picked up the bracelet and showed it to me more closely. “Come, come, my dear, you will never find something like this in this part of Avalonia. I can give you a wonderful five-charm bracelet for only one gold damarin and two silver trilts.”
I studied the intricate piece of work. The bracelet was finely crafted, and the tiny charms that hung from it were made in different colors and shaped in curious-looking designs.
I was fascinated; maybe Kalen could lend me the money to buy it and explain how to use it. I looked around for him and waved him over. When he saw me he came over quickly and pulled me away from the stall.
“Stay away from her,” he said seriously.
The lady made a face as she turned to her next customer, her multiple bracelets jingling as she moved.
“You never know what these witches put in those charm bracelets. Many things can go wrong. They are not really safe,” said Kalen quietly to me.
“She was a witch?” I asked, looking back at her.
“Can’t you tell?” Kalen admonished, pulling me toward another tent with a red-and-white awning. “Come in here, I want to show you something.”
Outside the tent was a sign: “Magical Creatures, Familiars, and Companions.” I wondered what he wanted me to see. I couldn’t handle a pet right now; I was having a hard enough time looking after myself as it was.
The inside of the tent was built like a stable, and, like the plant tent, it was larger inside than it looked on the outside. Kalen had tried to explain to me about fae glamour, but it was very different actually seeing it work.
This was not a place for puppies and kittens; the tent was filled with strange-looking creatures. Most of them were in cages, and some of the others were tied up. There were birds, mice, snakes, and other beasts that I could not identify. A lizard with the head of a frog peered at me from a small cage, and a birdlike creature with the face of a cat hissed as I walked past. I tried to keep as far away from the cages as I could—the animals didn’t look very friendly.
At the back of the tent in the last stall was a white horse, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off it. As we got closer, I could see what it was that had gotten Kalen so excited. The strange white horse had beautiful, iridescent wings. It stood in its stall watching me, holding its head high and stamping one massive hoof. Its coat was the color of fresh snow, and its magnificent mane fell in thick cascades down its powerful neck.
I stared at the mythical winged horse in wonder. Avalonia was truly an amazing place.
“That’s a pegasus.” Kalen whispered. “They are very rare outside of Elfi. I wonder how it even got here?”
We went over to look at the pegasus more closely. Before I could ask Kalen any more about it, a tall man with slick, black hair ran up to us.
“Interested in this pegasus, eh?” He stood at a distance from the horse. “Got this one at a real steal, I did. She was bruised, hurt, and caught hard by a band of goblins in the Cascade Mountains, she was.” The slimy-looking man peered around suspiciously, as if someone were going to pounce on him any moment. “I can give you a good price for her, I can.”
All of a sudden, there were disturbing noises from outside the tent. People screamed, and the pegasus seller ran out to have a look. I glanced at Kalen, but he seemed as confused as I was.
“The Shadow Guard,” shouted the pegasus seller, running back into the tent.
“What?” Kalen’s head whipped toward the entrance to the tent. “In the forest? We must get out of here, and fast.” He took my hand, and we ran.
My heart raced, and a ball of fear pooled in the pit of my stomach. How did the Shadow Guard know about the midnight market? Kalen had said I would be safe here.
As we came out of the tent, the happy, peaceful clearing was a mess, with upturned stalls and tents that had been ripped and destroyed. Lanterns lay burning on the mossy floor, and everyone ran helter-skelter into the forest. Kalen went to help two dryad children who had fallen down.
The Shadow Guard moved about the clearing like dark, menacing shadows. There were two of them, and their very presence sent shivers down my spine. They had pale, white skin, and their hands were skeletal with sharp, clawlike fingernails. I couldn’t see their faces, which were hidden under hooded black cloaks.
There were other guards with them in black uniforms, rounding up groups
