CHAPTER ELEVEN

As I walked back to the shoe shop to find her, I realized it was odd not to have Mallow with me. She was like a lumbering white shadow that always stayed close by. She whacked away any danger as easily I would a mosquito. I had volunteered to venture out on my own, but now that I had...

What would my life have been like without Mallow? Probably the way it was before her.

Ugh.

I didn't even want to think about it, but I couldn't stop. The memories weren't as sharp as the present. The details had fallen away over the years like so many autumn leaves. The vagueness had allowed my mind to mold and rework the thoughts into a logical, dramatic narrative I knew wasn't accurate. It was like what I did to my customers, guiding thoughts, but done subconsciously to myself.

As I made my way back to the shoe shop, my mind journeyed through the narrative that was now worn and familiar to me, yet somehow never comfortable.

The sun grew warmer as I recalled the burning city. A helpless Giant baby. The Avalons, useless as always, refusing to raise her for me. A confused and vindictive child. A sorcerer who saw her only as potential parts and not as a whole. Me, almost hungry enough to consent to the torture of the little girl who'd given nothing but smiles in exchange for riches. My refusal, the appearance of a compassionate wife with her own baby clinging to her chest. Mallow's first, and only, friend as the two children held hands. My retreat with her safe in my arms.

I was shaken out of my remembrance and back to the present moment by the shouting behind me. I barely made out the tiny white tip of the Avalonry through the crowd. That's where the screaming was coming from. A fracas had broken out. Probably ran out of food. These things often ended this way...

"Listen all!" One of the Avalons in the center was raising his voice with magic. Straining, I heard his words above the subdued murmur of the crowds around me. "I know it is disappointing that we ran out of gifts so soon! They were fine goods, and if we could give them away forever, we would! Alas, it is the nature of goods to be in limited supply!"

I scoffed, glancing at the small cut the ruby-encrusted chaise had left between my knuckles.

"But, rest assured, this celebration is far from over! Divinis Wenrick provides for his residents on this very special of days! There will be more entertainment!" he cried. "In fact, one such event will be commencing very shortly! So I encourage all of you to go out and find it! Who knows...?" His voice was warm with good humor. "There might even be more presents like the ones we just gave away!"

The crowd, probably more because of the promise of additional free food rather than a show, dispersed.

I had a rough idea of how much time had passed, and unless Mallow had dawdled excessively she should be done with arranging her order. With that in mind, I headed back toward the front of town.

The beautiful sculpted pillars came back into view as I returned to the extravagant cordwainer's shop. The crowd was smaller this time, and as I glanced up at the door I noticed that it was shut. A small sign, carved wood and dangling from a cord, read 'Closed'. I thought for a moment and ran a hand over the smooth bottom part of the pillar.

My mind wandered as I relished the detail. Finery was fine because it was limited, that's what the Avalon had said. These were expensive, accessible only to a few. Although I never pictured selling Mallow now, knowing that finery could have been mine if I would have sold her then made me wonder why I hadn't. Oranges every day, beautiful women, and a lovely shop like this one... and never having to work for it. What had kept me from getting rid of her back then? She wasn't my friend in those days...

The thoughts made me queasy. I shook my head and climbed the short stairway that lead to the doors.

"I was dumb back then. I'd probably have spent it on drink and gaming, and then I would still be broke, except no Mallow." Maybe I'd held onto her because she'd been the first valuable thing I'd owned after the downfall of my parents' ranch. The first possession of mine that anyone in the entire world had ever envied. Something that valuable is worth holding onto.

I tried the door handle, and the door cracked open. Ignoring the 'closed' sign, I pushed my way in and called out.

"Mallow?"

(( A/N: Wow! We hit over 700 views today! Considering the first few weeks the story was on the site it only had a few dozen, I'm still so excited for every single person that opens up my tale of magic and Mallow. Thank you so much everyone whose read the story, added it to their reading lists, voted, or commented so far!

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