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The woman gave Jayla a quick inspection before nodding. “Well enough. What can I help you with?”
“I’m looking for a temple that I believe is in the area. I’m hoping to find someone there who could give me information I need.”
The woman pointed. “Go that way for a block, then turn right. Three buildings down from that, on the left. Out front there will be a statue of the goddess, about so tall.” She held her hand at waist height. “The guardian should be able to answer your questions.”
“Thank you,” Jayla said. She was about to turn for the door when her attention was caught by the necklaces on display under the glass of the case. She bent closer to get a better look. They all appeared to be pendants strung on simple leather cords. Each one was made from the same pitted white stone and featured a woman in various poses.
Each one looked very similar to the necklace Pietro had given to Aussen.
“Can you tell me—what are these?” she asked.
The woman seemed surprised that anyone could be so ill-informed. “Chazissas, of course.”
“I’m sorry, I still don’t understand.”
The clerk pulled a chazissa out of the case and let Jayla handle it. Yes, very similar to the necklace that Aussen always wore tucked under her clothes. “A representation of Zessaya in one of her poses. Most islanders own one or two and wear them every day.”
“And these are—good things? Helpful things?” Jayla didn’t know how to phrase the question.Nothing in these chazissas could harm a lost little girl?
The woman looked at her as if Jayla might be crazy. “They are amulets of protection,” she said. “The goddess watches over anyone who wears one.”
“That’s all right, then,” Jayla said.
Cody had sidled up next to her. “What’s wrong?”
There was no reason to believe this woman could ever have desire to harm Aussen—but there was no reason to trust her, either. “I’ll tell you later,” she said.
The clerk put the chazissa away, since it was clear Jayla wasn’t planning to buy it. “Is there anything else you wanted?”
Jayla glanced around the shop, suddenly realizing she had been presented with an opportunity. “A young islander girl has come under my care. Is there something I could give her that would make her happy?”
“I know just the thing,” the clerk said, stepping out from behind the counter. She returned a moment later carrying a toy fish made of shiny gold fabric. It was about the length of Jayla’s hand, stuffed with so much padding that it was half as fat as it was long. Its eyes were represented by wooden buttons painted emerald green; its mouth was an embroidered red. Triangular patterns woven into the gold fabric looked as if they were meant to represent scales.
“Keshalosha,” the shopkeeper explained. “Zessaya’s lucky fish. It swims in the waters just off the shoreline, and if you see it, you will have a blessed life.”
“And how often does anyone see it?”
The woman laughed. “Never! It does not exist! Though people oftenclaimto have seen Keshalosha on the day before they marry or the morning before they start some new venture.”
“How much?”
As soon as Jayla had handed over her coins, Cody took the toy from her and slipped it inside a flat leather bag buckled over his chest. “You don’t have any way to carry it,” he pointed out. “I always have my messenger pouch.”
“Thanks,” Jayla said, the brief word directed at both Cody and the clerk, and then she led the way out of the shop.
Cody fell in step beside her as she headed in the specified direction. “Why were you concerned about the chazissa?”
“Because Pietro gave one to Aussen and told her to never take it off. He toldmeit would keep her safe.”
Cody looked thoughtful. “Do you think he just meant that Zessaya would watch over Aussen as long as she wore the amulet?”
“No. He meant it literally.” She added, “I don’t trust him.”
They walked on three steps in silence. “I saw him the other day,” Cody said.
She came to an abrupt halt, causing two men walking behind them to almost run them over. “You did? Where?”
“I went to his place to see how he was doing.”
