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“Hi Rockney.” Annabelle blinks at the shopkeeper.
“Ms. Portsmouth, it is such an honor to have you back at my store. Are you here for anotherklaramaor more sticks?”
“More sticks if you have them.”
“Why, of course. Again, I’m so sorry to hear about Alder. He really is beloved in the community.”
I don’t know if “beloved” is how I would describe my father in the community. In fact, I’m sure the vast majority of the population, even in our own dome, doesn’t know he exists. He’s quiet, reserved. The observer in the room. Our father would never hurt anyone. I’ve heard the whispers more than once that Nico and I must have gotten our warriors’ rage from Muster. But I’m not sure either is true. There’s a fire deep in Nico that he needs to be in control, and there’s a fire deep in me that wants to right things. Richeal’s death changed all of us. It took away any chance I ever had of a mother. And for Nico, it took away any chance he would ever have any peace.
“Thank you,” I tell Rockney. “I think he’s going to pull out of it. He woke up.”
“Really? He’s awake? That’s fantastic. You must be thrilled!” Rockney claps his hands together, and with a hop, he turns a full circle. “Wait right here. I have just the thing for you.” He darts off to the back room.
“I don’t suppose it’s more sticks?” says Annabelle.
“No, I’m thinking it’s not sticks either.”
Rockney bursts out of the back room with two large pillows in his hands. They are embroidered with a seascape and two flukes kicking on it. “What do you think of these?” He holds them up by their tassels. “Silk, honest-to-goodness silk, not that stuff the Vitrom Dome makes.”
“Very nice.” I nod at him and turn to Annabelle. The faster I can get her out of here, the faster I can convince her to go furniture shopping and get the rest of the things we—she—needs to flesh out the rest of her apartment.
“You should take them,” says Rockney. “When Alder comes to stay with his family, he can lay his head on these.”
“Oh, ah...” Belle turns to me.
“It is customary when a pod has lost their mermaid to live with the mated couple of the eldest son. But Alder likes his space,” I whisper to her as Rockney makes his way to wrap up the pillows.
She nods, her blue eyes open wide.
“Shall I send these to your apartment?” Rockney asks.
“That would be great. I mean, if it’s okay with Ms. Portsmouth.” Both Rockney and Annabelle make odd faces at my formal address of Belle. But that’s what this trip is about: getting her apartment ready to entice someone else into her pod. Someone who can help her and keep her secure. Even though I want to growl and snip at anyone who comes close to her.
“Thank you,” she says graciously.
“You’re welcome. Have a great day.”
Annabelle puts her hand on my chest when we are outside the shop. It radiates warmth all around me. “You don’t think that was odd?”
“Odd? I think most things about Rockney are odd.”
“It’s a dress shop.”
“Yes, and the last time you were in there you bought sticks. This time pillows. I think buying sticks is odder than buying pillows.”
“Sure, I guess. But it’s a dress shop, and he didn’t try to sell me any dresses. That’s odd.”
“But you bought pillows.”
“But I bought pillows. Why would I buy pillows in a dress shop?” She throws her hand up. “That’s not what I mean. What I mean is, I do need pillows. But how would he know that?”
“Ah, that is the truth about the Veiled City. There are no secrets. Everyone is always in everyone else’s business.”
“You’re saying—”
“That the average person we walk by knows that we live in a mostly empty apartment?
Yes.” I might be making some headway. Neither one of us wants to face the truth that Nico is going.
