Coldmaker(25)

I quickly pulled together a lie. ‘Well, sometimes—’

‘I won’t press,’ she said with a shrug, cutting me off. ‘What is it you wanted to ask, child?’

I cleared my throat. ‘Did you see what was painted in the alley next to your shop?’

Mama Jana made a face I couldn’t read. ‘Unfortunately, yes. First the Procession, and now those symbols shooting up around the streets. It’s like there’s something in the air!’

‘If you don’t mind my asking …’ I tried to keep my voice calm. ‘What does it mean?’

‘I have no clue,’ she replied. A tic was beating in her cheek. ‘But I’ve already sent word for cleaners. It should be scrubbed off by the next bell.’ She then turned to drag her hands along the stacks of boxes, and lifted one out that was perfectly heart-shaped, studded with fine crystals.

She smiled, her eyes searching my face for something. ‘Just in luck. Six Drafts on the nose.’

I gave a grateful bow after making the exchange. ‘You never cease to amaze with your goods, Mama Jana – or your kindness.’

She bit her bottom lip, almost as if debating something but she let it go with a sigh. She looked older than ever today. ‘Come back soon, Spout.’ Her gaze didn’t waver. ‘I’m sure a piece of my home is likely to break any day now.’

‘I will,’ I said, bowing again and shuffling backwards.

As I was leaving, I turned to wave at her, but she didn’t see me, as she rooted for something underneath the counter: a jar. I could have sworn its lid was the same colour green as the Opened Eye, and she stuffed it deep under a pile of sun-dresses.





Chapter Nine


The puffiness over my father’s eye was slowing the game down considerably. I’d offered him some of my salve but he’d refused to take any. For a Healer, he was remarkably stubborn about not numbing his own pain.

Abb picked a card from the pile. ‘You’re normally better than this, Little Builder.’

I fanned out the backs of my cards, proving how many I’d collected. ‘I’m winning, Old Builder.’

‘Not at Conquer,’ Abb said with a smirk. ‘You’re normally better at hiding things.’

My eyes flicked to the spot where I’d buried the Wisps, but the patch of ground seemed undisturbed. I drew a new card, painted with the plump face of Khat Horem VI, who was known for bleaching his skin bone white. ‘I don’t know how anyone besides you or me would find them,’ I said.

Abb selected a card, bobbed his head from side to side, and then flung it at my face. The card flew sideways, coming fast at me, and I ducked out of the way enough to only catch a glance on the ear.

‘That bad a hand, huh?’ I asked with a chuckle after recovering. ‘We could always play Match. No skill required there. You might even stand a chance.’

Abb pointed to my cards, now splayed in front of him where he could see most of them. My face dropped and I flipped them back over, but it was too late.

‘See,’ Abb said, his face smug. ‘Not so good at hiding things.’

‘Not when you play dirty.’

Abb shifted so he could show me the bottoms of his blackened feet, stained with oil and mud. ‘Us Jadans don’t have much choice.’

I sighed, changing the order of the cards in my hand. I picked out the River Singe card and flicked it down between us, placing it under his Khat Luddit III. ‘Here. Wash yourself.’

Abb raised his eyebrow. ‘You actually playing that? Or is it just a joke?’

I shrugged, a smile on my lips. ‘You tell me.’

Abb gave a flourish with his hand. ‘I’ve taught you too well. Now what are you hiding?’

I paused, pretending to shift my cards. ‘Nothing.’

‘That’s one heavy piece of nothing.’

I gave a one-armed shrug, rubbing my belly. ‘I think maybe Gramble gave my bad figs this morning. That’s all. Now are we going to play?’

Abb raised the eyebrow over his good eye. ‘Come on, Spout, give your old man something.’

I flipped a card from my hand. ‘Need a Cry Temple? I’ve got North and East.’

Abb chuckled. ‘You little scoundrel.’

‘If I am, it’s your fault.’ I shrugged and turned the card back. ‘Raising a kid takes practice. Maybe you’ll get the hang of it one day.’

‘I didn’t have you from the start, so it doesn’t count.’ Abb gently folded his cards into a pile, his gaze following the beams of starlight back up to the ceiling. ‘Now talk to me. See, I won’t even look.’

I let a long pause sit between us. ‘You’ll think I’m crazy.’

My father’s voice was gentle. ‘I already do. In a good way. Now spill.’

I sighed, trying to figure out why I was having such a hard time talking. ‘It was my Shiver. The one the Jadan girl destroyed.’

Abb nodded, a contemplative look on his face. ‘I see. Where’d you find it?’ he asked.

I paused, trying to shake the words loose. ‘The Blacksmith Quarter. In the boilweed piles. I pulled it out with my Claw Staff, and held it for a few moments, deciding whether I should keep it or not.’

‘And so you didn’t.’