Someone giggles to my right, and I whip around, my face flushed with embarrassment. Who was watching us? Well, they certainly got quite the show. I cover my face and mask with my hands. The last thing I need is for someone to recognize me and make me the laughingstock of the whole Festival.
“Don’t be rude,” someone hisses. I realize that it sounds like Hawk.
“Unu? Du? Hawk?” I say.
The three of them appear in the torchlight, their eyes wide from being caught.
“How long have you been there?” I ask.
“Youkissedhim,” Du says. He makes kissy noises.
“You spit in my ear,” Unu mutters. He yanks on a piece of Du’s hair, making him curse.
“None of you should be in the Downhill,” I say. I grab Unu by his shoulder and Hawk by her wing, and then I drag them down the path with me. “You’ll be grounded if Nicoleta finds out. And since you were so rudely stalking me...I might just tell her.”
“We wanted to see where you go to every night!” Unu blubbers. Unu hates getting in trouble. “We...we were worried about you.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
I glance between the three faces. I can tell they’re all embarrassed, not so much at being caught, but because I doubt they intended to witness such an awkward scene while spying. That doesn’t make me any less annoyed.
“You each owe me three bags of licorice cherries,” I tell them. “Unu and Du, you count as two people.”
They gape at me. That’s a decent amount of money. But if I tell Nicoleta, they won’t be allowed out of the tent for a week. Hawk won’t get to practice her fiddle with those kids in the orphan tents she visits. And Unu and Du won’t be able to gamble away their allowances in the games neighborhood.
“And say you’re sorry,” I say.
“Sorry,” they chorus.
I flick their cheeks, now more amused than angry. “Yeah, you are.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The next afternoon, Nicoleta is the first to rise, as usual. As per her morning ritual, she throws on clothes, climbs out of the caravan and seeks out a vendor to buy everyone breakfast. Usually, Crown cooks for all of us but not when the Festival is traveling. Instead, we subsist on fruit, sugar-coated nuts and various candies until we reach the next city.
Once Nicoleta jumps onto the road, I wrap myself in my cloak and follow her. She is already far down the path on her walk, and I run to catch up. I tap her on the shoulder, and she screams.
“Sorina! I didn’t hear you. It’s so early—what are you doing awake?”
“I wanted to talk to you. It’s important. I need your help.”
“Is this about Luca von Raske? You told me you would tell me how the investigations were going, but you haven’t said a word.”
“It’s not about him. It’s about my investigation with Villiam.” As we walk, I am careful to keep my voice low as I explain what I have learned over the past two weeks to Nicoleta. “Chimal wants Hawk involved in the wedding that is happening in two weeks.”
“Absolutely not. Honestly, I’m shocked that Villiam would stand by Chimal’s suggestion.”
“He gave me a day to think it over, at least,” I say.
Nicoleta turns the copper coins over in her hand as she thinks. “They don’t have any evidence to support their claims that this so-called Alliance is responsible. I’m worried that Villiam is simply pulling you into his political affairs.”
“Whether or not the Allianceisresponsible, these affairs will one day become my own. I want to help him. I just don’t want Hawk involved.”
Nicoleta ponders this. “Why is he so set on Hawk?”
“He said the Up-Mountainers will be prepared for normal forms of jynx-work. Obviously, Hawk’s abilities are unique.”
We approach a small vending cart, only now opening its shop. The vendor, a young man with a birthmark on his cheek, smiles as Nicoleta approaches. “I gave you some extra licorice cherries this time. I know how you like them.”
