“Easy there, soldier,” chuckled Mike, wiping tears from his eyes. “I don’t reckon she meant anything by it, lad.”

“I really didn’t,” agreed Jess with a pained smile.

Nevin sat on the chair with a dark expression and pouted lip.

Jess leaned forward a little. “I am sorry, you know,” she said. “I can see how seriously you take this role.”

His eyes flitted upward for a moment, before dropping once more to the floor.

“I wish some of my students took their studies even half as seriously as you do,” Jess continued with a wry smile.

Nevin looked up at that. He hadn’t lost his sullen expression, but at least he was looking Jess in the eye now.

In a quiet voice, he asked, “Don’t they want to be good druids?”

Jess sighed. “No. I wish they did. But no.”

Nevin’s expression softened a little as the tension around his eyes dropped away. His pout remained firmly in place, but Jess was happy enough with that. She glanced over to Mike who had been silently watching the exchange with interest. He flashed her a quick wink and the corner of his mouth curled in a faint smile.

“Well, then,” he said, slapping his hands on his thighs. The sudden noise made Nevin startle, but Mike continued as though he hadn’t seen this. “Ye’re losing the afternoon. Best be off if ye’re going to get to the butcher before closing.”

Teacups were left on the table as the trio rose from their seats and Jess attempted to return the handkerchief that had been loaned to her. Mike refused it, holding up his palms flat with splayed fingers.

“No, no, Lass. Ye can keep it. Call it a gift,” he said, before moving around her and leading the way down the stairs back towards the entrance. The door was unbolted and Mike opened it wide, standing beside it so that Jess and Nevin could exit freely. Nevin strode out and waited in the street, but Jess lagged for a moment, hesitating in the doorway. She looked up at the large minotaur who gave a small smile in return.

“Thank you for this,” Jess said in a small but earnest voice.

“It’s just a handkerchief, Lass,” he replied.

“No, I mean, everything,” Jess said as she stepped out into the street.

He nodded, then stooped to step through the doorway and into the street to join them. “Aye, I know. Try not to end up back here though, eh?” he said with a cheeky wink.

Jess grinned. I’ll certainly try, she thought, but it’ll be a shame if I don’t run into you again.

She waved goodbye as Nevin began to chatter ahead of her, leading the way. He mentioned something about a bull ring, but Jess wasn’t following his meaning. Her thoughts were elsewhere.

What would happen if she was stuck here? What if here wasn’t anywhere at all?

“Jess?”

Her thoughts snapped back into the moment, and she noticed Nevin was no longer leading. Instead, he stood with his hands clasped together with a look of concern on his face. He cleared his throat before announcing, “We’re… we’re here.”

The area beyond seemed surprisingly familiar to Jess. Not because she had ever visited the area, but because the market area seemed to be a mirror of every farmer’s market that she had had the pleasure of visiting in the past.

Colourful canvas flapped in the soft breeze while sellers marketed their wares below. The market bustled with throngs of people weaving through wooden stalls that were piled high with goods, some exotic and some more homely.

“Jess?” Nevin repeated, taking a step towards her.

“It looks so…” Jess started but broke off as the breeze carried offerings of various scents towards. Her stomach rumbled loudly.

Nevin glanced down and then back up and blushed when his eyes met Jess’s. Jess could only laugh.

“It looks great, but it smells better,” she said. “Alright, lead the way to the butchers. Mike said we’d have enough for some food afterwards, yeah? My treat,” she said, still looking around the market with bright eyes.

“For… both of us?” uttered Nevin’s awestruck voice from behind.

“Well yeah? I can’t just tuck into some food and leave my teammate on the sidelines, can I?” Jess replied with a perplexed frown. He’s been playing chaperone for the better half of the day now. Does he really think I wouldn’t offer? He’s the only reason I have the gold in the first place.

With renewed vigour, Nevin continued to lead. Jess couldn’t help but gaze in wonder at all the fantastic looking stalls with fresh baked goods and hearty looking vegetables. There were jewellery stalls and pots and pans on display.

Jess paused for a second, mid stride. An interesting looking stall with plush velvety material cushioning its displayed wares had caught her eye. Once she realised what the sparkly trinkets were, she quickly turned tail and pretended that she hadn’t noticed the creepy looking dolls that looked like mummified fairies.

Not in Kansas anymore! Eyes on the prize, Jess. Eyes on the prize.

When Nevin continued to walk past most of the stalls, Jess began to grow concerned.

“The stall is here, isn’t it Nevin?” she asked, attempting to sound casual. The crowds were mostly behind them now and the stalls ahead were growing fewer and further between.

“Oh, Balthur’s isn’t a stall,” Nevin replied over his shoulder. “He has a shop. You can’t just rely on butcher’s meat from a market stall. Where would he salt everything?”

“Hah, yeah. Silly me. Of course!” replied Jess. Obviously, it couldn’t be a stall. It’s not as though they’re plastic wrapping sirloin out here, she chided herself.

Jess spotted the wooden carved pigs before she noticed the sign above the door. Three pigs were carved to look as though they were on their hind legs and dancing. Each of them was painted a bright primary colour. The blue one had creepy eyes though. Jess wasn’t keen on the way it seemed to stare at her as she walked past.

The butcher’s itself was stronger smelling than Jess had anticipated. The ferrous scent in the air seemed to make itself unpleasantly known on the tongue. Some chains hung from the top of the doorway that were easy to walk through and Jess hoped that they were at least somewhat effective at keeping the insects at bay.

The young man behind the counter looked Jess up and down with narrowed eyes and she found herself adjusting her clothing. Bad enough that she felt so out of place without her looking so out of place as well.

“What can I get ya?” he asked, wiping his smeared hands on the blue apron he wore and then leaning on the countertop.

Showtime. “I know this is probably an odd request but… I need six boar livers,” Jess said, forcing a strained smile. “Unmarked. Preferably.”

The butcher’s look of suspicion melted into one of amusement and he wagged a callused index finger at Jess.

“You really had me going there. Thought the court had sent some busybody down here,” he said before turning away, chuckling to himself.

Before Jess could answer, he was walking out from behind the counter and disappeared around a wooden archway. She glanced at Nevin who just shrugged in response.

“MER!” came a rough shout from around the doorway. The abrupt noise scared the Dickens out of Jess. She wasn’t sure if Nevin’s jumping made her more nervous or less.

“Mer! Come see what the alchemists make the women wear these days!” shouted the butcher’s voice.

“Wait. He doesn’t think I’m an alchemist, does he?” Jess whispered, keeping her eye on the archway.

“No,” Nevin whispered back, “Women aren’t allowed to be alchemists.”

Jess turned her head so quickly she could have given herself whiplash. “What do you mean wo-“ Jess began to ask before being cut off.

A plump, red-headed woman had returned with the butcher. She grinned at the sight of Jess and her clothing.

“Look at the daft things they’ve put you in!” she exclaimed, propping her hands on her hips. Her head tilted as she absorbed Jess’s outfit.

“Didn’t I tell you, Mer,” the butcher added as he headed back behind the counter. Jess opened her mouth to retort but she wasn’t given a chance.

“I keep telling people that you’re worth your weight in gold up there at that wonky tower,” Mer continued, gesturing out of the doorway. “Imagine being sent in those clothes, you poor dear.”

She continued rambling. It was a constant river of words that refused to be stemmed and so Jess found herself nodding along helplessly. Mer paused and her wide, dimpled smile was infectious. Jess found herself smiling in return with the well-meaning woman.

“Yeah,” Jess found herself agreeing. It was easier than rowing against Mer’s narrative. “You know those alchemists all right.”

The butcher came back with a parcel wrapped in linens which he handed over to Mer. She gave it a quick inspection, checking the knot on top before she held it out to Jess.

“There you are,” Mer said as the parcel exchanged hands, “You take that back to those wizened fools and let them know that Meredith is expecting full payment before the full moon. If it’s late again this month, well. They can get their own hands dirty for a change!”