Theea
yla
I stare down at the money like it might sprout teeth and bite me, and then Nova is gone. I flick a look up at Niki and can’t help the crooked grin. ”I think this is the most money I’ve ever held at once,” I admit, then shrug a shoulder. ”Here’s to choking out competition that’s not ours.”
First stop: the jeweler I clocked while flyering. The bell tinkles as I step in and instantly feel out of place—everything is gaudy, glittering, loud. I school my face into something charming and lean on the counter with my best winning smile and a flutter of lashes. Ten minutes later I’m walking out with a very large bag stuffed with every loose gem the man had, even the ones he was just about to make new jewelry with. They'd be perfect studded into clothing. A delicate sunflower ring tries to tempt me from a display—gold petals, obsidian stone, small, perfect. I almost let the shopkeep talk me into it, but it isn’t my money and I’m not my mom (she's pretty fucking shameless). I put it back.
Somehow I’ve still got money left. Is Nova really this loaded? Maybe that’s business-owner money. Or Safrin’s-kid money.
I cut toward the textile place and freeze at a different window: tapestries hang in intricate patterns, catching the light so they glitter like frost. I drift inside, hands sliding over the fabrics and discovering the thread to be real spun metal. I wonder how the weaver threads it, but I'm sure Nova can figure it out. I place an order that makes the woman behind the counter blink: every spool of precious-metal thread in stock.
By the time I make it back to the rendezvous I’m hauling one moderate-sized bags that jingles and a bundled parcel from the weaver. I drop them at Nova’s feet and flash Niki a grin. ”Gotta admit that shopping like that is fun,” I tell him, then tip my chin to Nova. ”Cleaned out the jeweler up the street, got him to sell me every loose stone he had. And I bought all the glittering precious-metal thread from the weaver a few blocks over. Silver, gold, copper, platinum… and hot pink.” Just for fun.
Theea chose loose precious gems and spools of spun metal thread!
First stop: the jeweler I clocked while flyering. The bell tinkles as I step in and instantly feel out of place—everything is gaudy, glittering, loud. I school my face into something charming and lean on the counter with my best winning smile and a flutter of lashes. Ten minutes later I’m walking out with a very large bag stuffed with every loose gem the man had, even the ones he was just about to make new jewelry with. They'd be perfect studded into clothing. A delicate sunflower ring tries to tempt me from a display—gold petals, obsidian stone, small, perfect. I almost let the shopkeep talk me into it, but it isn’t my money and I’m not my mom (she's pretty fucking shameless). I put it back.
Somehow I’ve still got money left. Is Nova really this loaded? Maybe that’s business-owner money. Or Safrin’s-kid money.
I cut toward the textile place and freeze at a different window: tapestries hang in intricate patterns, catching the light so they glitter like frost. I drift inside, hands sliding over the fabrics and discovering the thread to be real spun metal. I wonder how the weaver threads it, but I'm sure Nova can figure it out. I place an order that makes the woman behind the counter blink: every spool of precious-metal thread in stock.
By the time I make it back to the rendezvous I’m hauling one moderate-sized bags that jingles and a bundled parcel from the weaver. I drop them at Nova’s feet and flash Niki a grin. ”Gotta admit that shopping like that is fun,” I tell him, then tip my chin to Nova. ”Cleaned out the jeweler up the street, got him to sell me every loose stone he had. And I bought all the glittering precious-metal thread from the weaver a few blocks over. Silver, gold, copper, platinum… and hot pink.” Just for fun.
Theea chose loose precious gems and spools of spun metal thread!
Know I'm gonna get there somehow, take it all in and breathe out
I got everything I need now, think I'm done looking down,
got my head in the clouds
I got everything I need now, think I'm done looking down,
got my head in the clouds
