Coldmaker(43)

‘What about Mirrlah City songs?’ Cam asked, hopeful. ‘Or the most recent Belisk court jesters’ stuff? Or the hymns from the northern nomads – the ones who travelled back from the Great Divide? Have you heard them yet?’

I shook my head. ‘I don’t know that music.’

Cam sucked his cheek. ‘Well, I suppose that makes sense.’

We both fell silent, the only sound being Lasah grinding his mortar and pestle.

‘So, Mama Jana told me you’re very smart.’ he said.

‘Smart, sir?’

‘Cam, not sir,’ he corrected and stuck the empty mug in his pocket. ‘And yes, she told me you were … unusually smart.’

‘We’re not allowed to be smart,’ I said, wishing desperately that he would just wait quietly and leave me alone. ‘We’re only supposed to serve the Khat and his chosen.’

Cam sighed, lowering his voice. ‘Well, that’s not what she told me.’

Lasah peeked over his mixing bowl, looking just as confused as I did.

‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ Cam asked.

My face flushed so deeply I knew it would be visible even against my dark skin. ‘No. We’re not really allowed that either. The Birth Barracks—’

Cam gave me a playful punch. ‘Don’t worry. I’m not judging. I don’t either. That’s why I’m here. But Lasah said the glow cream is supposed to get rid of all imperfections.’ Cam pointed to a few red spots on his face, the kind that only showed up on light Noble complexions. ‘I know it’s shallow, but I feel them all the time.’

I was too stunned to speak. Cam was talking to me like an equal, like a friend even. Surely a group of taskmasters must be waiting behind the cabinets, whips in their hands, ready to punish me any minute now for believing in the kindness of a High Noble?

I nodded, keeping my eyes lowered.

Lasah tipped the cream into a jar, screwing on a lid and tying it up with a thin strip of boilweed. The shopkeeper swept back across the room, past a board pinned with dead insects – some as large as my fist – and around a table stocked with the skulls of small animals. He stopped at the statue of the jackal and lifted the head back, revealing a secret store of green leaves in its neck. Taking a scoop, he portioned out a bit into a small bag and tied it with a red ribbon.

‘Here you are, young master Tavor. Oolong tea. Enchanting Glow Cream,’ Lasah eyed Cam’s Cold purse again as he pressed the jar and bag into Cam’s hands, ‘which is very potent, much more so than the last. One application a day should do it.’

Cam emptied the purse onto the nearest table, spilling a Shiver, two Drafts, and a handful of Wisps. The shopkeeper looked dismayed at the fortune.

‘Master Camlish, this isn’t quite enough,’ Lasah said by way of gentle chiding. ‘For the Enchanting I used a pinch of grainlick, and essence of tear-berry, an—’

‘Ah, I see. How much do I owe you? Can I bring you the rest of the Cold tomorrow?’ Cam asked. ‘You know my family is good for it.’

He wasn’t lying. From what I knew, the Tavors had enough Cold to buy a hundred of these apothecaries.

Lasah gave a respectful bow, and as he dipped, he shifted the Closed Eye on his forehead to point it in my direction. ‘Four more Drafts should do it. And that will also cover the cleaning fee.’

Cam swept aside some of the mist that had risen to eye level, and beckoned to me to leave.

‘Oh,’ Lasah called from behind us, ‘and if you send a slave to bring the Cold, make sure it knows to stay at the entrance and not to come in! The Mind’s Bazaar is a delicate oasis in the—’

Cam shut the door behind us, trapping all the Cold air back inside. He pocketed the jar and the bag of tea, and then looked back and forth, as if pondering something important. Then, looking at me with a sincere shrug, he took a left and started walking.

I lagged behind him by four or five paces, trying to decipher what might be going on in his High Noble head. My body growled from the quick swap of blessed air to harsh Sunlight.

Cam peeked over his shoulder with a smile before he began jogging. Hesitantly, I did the same, but his longer legs allowed him to go much faster than I could. I was also worried I might crash into another Noble. Cam then waited for me, putting a hand around my shoulder to stop me.

‘You’re not a camel,’ he said. ‘Walk beside me?’

I was suddenly aware of how wonderful Cam smelled. There would most likely be a beating when the Nobleboy realized I’d tainted him with my Jadan stink.

I awkwardly fell in with his stride as we went forward, knowing this proximity would draw unwanted attention from passers-by. I made sure to hold up his Tavor coin as high as I could to show that I was just doing as I was commanded.

‘So,’ Cam let me go and clapped his hands together, ‘you must know these streets better than I do, Spout. Where would you buy chocolate? It’s my favourite thing, but I don’t know where the best places to get it are.’

‘I know a good shop on Canar Street,’ I said after a pause. ‘Sometimes they have dates that they dip in the chocolate.’

Cam pulled out a secret bag of Cold and weighed it in his hand, giving me a mischievous smile. ‘We should have just enough.’





Chapter Fourteen