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Authors: Elizabeth Haydon
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pirates.”
Ven shuddered. He had met pirates.
“Well, that’s good to know, anyway,” he said. “Thank you very much. I’m glad I asked you.”
“Good luck,” said the merrow, preparing to dive. “Stay away from pirates, even if they’re on land.”
“I will try,” Ven promised.
“Goodbye,” said the merrow.
“Goodbye,” said Ven as she disappeared below the waves again.
He waited until he could no longer see any sign of the beautiful multicolored scales, then shook himself dry one more time and headed back to the gates in the middle of Kingston.
He did not notice the quick sparkle of rainbow color that glinted eerily behind him, from the other side of the Market wall, in the morning sun.
V EN, WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN?” CHAR DEMANDED AS Ven approached the booth at the main entrance to the Gated City. “We thought you might have been stolen before you even got in there.”
“I’m fine, and I’m sorry,” Ven said. “Did you get the tokens?”
“We did,” Clemency said as she and Saeli held up five long ribbons on which round medallions had been strung. They passed them out, Saeli choosing the one with the bright blue ribbon that matched the big bow in her hair. Ven took the one Clem handed to him and examined it quickly.
The token on the ribbon was exactly like the one that had formed the seal on the box that was sent to the king’s father.
“The gems the king gave you were more than enough to get us in,” Char said, handing Ven three gold crowns. “There’s enough here for a right fine noon-meal, and maybe even a little shopping.”
“The king called it ‘walking-around money,’” Ven said absently, looking up at the guards with crossbows manning the tall walls that encircled the city. “If we keep our wits about us, we should be able to learn something about the king’s stone and have a fun day at the same time. We need to each take a certain number of stores or booths or whatever they have inside there, and look through all the wares. Maybe we will see something like this, something that glows, or has cracks in it. Look high and low, in the bricks of the buildings or the cobblestones of the streets. If everyone looks at something different, we have the best chance of seeing a clue. We can divide it up by direction points—I’ll take the north, Char can take the south, Clem the east, and Nick the west. Saeli, you watch the ground, since you’re closer to it. You might see something we wouldn’t.”
“We just need to be sure we stay together,” said Nick. “If we get separated, we may be done for.”
“Shhh,” said Clemency. “The guard is climbing up onto the podium.” She pointed to an elevated spot to the left of the main gate.
Ven turned to see a soldier dressed in the colors of the town guard of Kingston step out onto the elevated ledge and over the crowd that had gathered, waiting to get into the Gated City.
“Good morning,” he said. “Today, as I’m sure you all know, is Market Day. Here are the rules. First, no one enters the Gated City without an official token. Tokens can be purchased at the booth below. You can enter and exit the City as many times as you like, provided you have the token with you. If you do leave, and do not have the token when you return, you will be denied admittance.
“Next, be aware that the Market closes three fingers before sunset,” he continued. “An hour before that, a warning bell will sound once. This is the signal that you should bring your shopping to an end and make your way to this gate. You must be on the Kingston side of the gate when the final Market Day bell sounds, or you will be forced to remain within the walls of the Gated City until the next Market Day, one week from today. On that day, you can present your token and you will be let out before anyone else enters.” His eyes narrowed. “If you can survive that long.
“Finally, when each of you purchased your token, you were
Ven shuddered. He had met pirates.
“Well, that’s good to know, anyway,” he said. “Thank you very much. I’m glad I asked you.”
“Good luck,” said the merrow, preparing to dive. “Stay away from pirates, even if they’re on land.”
“I will try,” Ven promised.
“Goodbye,” said the merrow.
“Goodbye,” said Ven as she disappeared below the waves again.
He waited until he could no longer see any sign of the beautiful multicolored scales, then shook himself dry one more time and headed back to the gates in the middle of Kingston.
He did not notice the quick sparkle of rainbow color that glinted eerily behind him, from the other side of the Market wall, in the morning sun.
V EN, WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN?” CHAR DEMANDED AS Ven approached the booth at the main entrance to the Gated City. “We thought you might have been stolen before you even got in there.”
“I’m fine, and I’m sorry,” Ven said. “Did you get the tokens?”
“We did,” Clemency said as she and Saeli held up five long ribbons on which round medallions had been strung. They passed them out, Saeli choosing the one with the bright blue ribbon that matched the big bow in her hair. Ven took the one Clem handed to him and examined it quickly.
The token on the ribbon was exactly like the one that had formed the seal on the box that was sent to the king’s father.
“The gems the king gave you were more than enough to get us in,” Char said, handing Ven three gold crowns. “There’s enough here for a right fine noon-meal, and maybe even a little shopping.”
“The king called it ‘walking-around money,’” Ven said absently, looking up at the guards with crossbows manning the tall walls that encircled the city. “If we keep our wits about us, we should be able to learn something about the king’s stone and have a fun day at the same time. We need to each take a certain number of stores or booths or whatever they have inside there, and look through all the wares. Maybe we will see something like this, something that glows, or has cracks in it. Look high and low, in the bricks of the buildings or the cobblestones of the streets. If everyone looks at something different, we have the best chance of seeing a clue. We can divide it up by direction points—I’ll take the north, Char can take the south, Clem the east, and Nick the west. Saeli, you watch the ground, since you’re closer to it. You might see something we wouldn’t.”
“We just need to be sure we stay together,” said Nick. “If we get separated, we may be done for.”
“Shhh,” said Clemency. “The guard is climbing up onto the podium.” She pointed to an elevated spot to the left of the main gate.
Ven turned to see a soldier dressed in the colors of the town guard of Kingston step out onto the elevated ledge and over the crowd that had gathered, waiting to get into the Gated City.
“Good morning,” he said. “Today, as I’m sure you all know, is Market Day. Here are the rules. First, no one enters the Gated City without an official token. Tokens can be purchased at the booth below. You can enter and exit the City as many times as you like, provided you have the token with you. If you do leave, and do not have the token when you return, you will be denied admittance.
“Next, be aware that the Market closes three fingers before sunset,” he continued. “An hour before that, a warning bell will sound once. This is the signal that you should bring your shopping to an end and make your way to this gate. You must be on the Kingston side of the gate when the final Market Day bell sounds, or you will be forced to remain within the walls of the Gated City until the next Market Day, one week from today. On that day, you can present your token and you will be let out before anyone else enters.” His eyes narrowed. “If you can survive that long.
“Finally, when each of you purchased your token, you were
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