The marketplace was pristine. Almost too pristine. The goods were laid out on perfectly arranged tables, their colours vibrant beneath the afternoon sun.
Everywhere I looked, people were engaged in hearty conversations, laughter echoing as they carried their groceries home.
No heated haggling. No desperate bargaining. No tension.
It was all so manicured.
Well, that was about to change.
"Scarlette?" I turned—only to find her gone.
Of course, she'd wandered off. Whether she was the Queen of Hearts and Ruin or just Scarlette, she was the same. Up to her usual shenanigans.
A quick scan of the marketplace, and—ah. There she was, at a stall. Buying a chicken. A live one.
Because of course she was.
But I had other plans.
My gaze landed on a stall where rows of fish were lined up in perfect symmetry. The vendor's cheerful hum mixed with the marketplace chatter as she spoke to a few other Light Fairies buying from her. A friendly fishmonger, the perfect gossipmonger. I rubbed my hands together, anticipation building.
Let the rumor begin.
I approached with a warm smile. "How much for the fish?"
"Two Light Stones each," the fishmonger replied, her tone friendly, her smile genuine.
I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice. "I'll take two. But I'll make you a deal: if you sell them to me for three Light Stones, I'll share a secret."
Her smile faltered. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"Love Fairy," I said, flashing a matter-of-fact grin. "We have different ways of doing things."
I dropped my voice further. "I have a secret. Are you interested?"
She studied me for a moment, curiosity flickering in her eyes. With a resigned sigh, she crossed her arms. "Fine. Three Light Stones, but this better be good."
I straightened, barely containing my excitement. Hook. Line. Sinker.
I leaned closer, keeping my voice low. "The Light Fairy King's been... getting rid of obstacles. Things in his way."
Her brow furrowed, uncertainty creeping in.
"Don't look at me like that," I continued, voice dripping with drama. "You didn't see anything yesterday, did you?"
She glanced toward Lumera's house at the end of the street, hesitation marking her features.
"That house wasn't there yesterday," I added, pressing the point.
A flicker of doubt crossed her face, then unease. I pushed further, letting the weight of my words sink in.
"And it's all tied to something much bigger," I whispered, eyes darting to make sure no one overheard. "The Baltimorean Emerald."
Her breath hitched. "The Baltimorean Emerald?"
I gave a solemn nod. "The one from the Love Fairy Kingdom. It's here. In this town."
Her eyes widened. "But... why? What does it do?"
I leaned even closer, speaking almost conspiratorially. "It has the power to reshape reality. I should know—it originally belonged to us."
A pause. She glanced around, her unease growing.
"King Luxeron had it," I murmured. "But not anymore. Someone took it from him."
Her face paled. "Wait… what?" she stammered, trying to process the gravity of the information.
"King Luxeron is in charge here," I said, voice heavy with warning. "Do you think he'll let anyone get in his way? What are we common folk supposed to do about it?"
She didn't answer, but her trembling hand reached for the fish. I knew the seed had been planted.
"I'm just a Love Fairy passing through," I added, letting the words linger in the air. "But I thought you should know."
With a final, knowing look, I turned and walked away. Behind me, I heard her whisper urgently to another Light Fairy, her voice full of suspicion and fear.
Bingo. One down, and the rumor was already spreading. No one knew about King Luxeron's illusion spells—but that was the beauty of it. The perfect misunderstanding. It was easy to believe he had the reality-altering stone in his hands. And the lie that it's been stolen? That would definitely draw Judorah out of hiding.
Now, on to my next target: The Spice Shop.
The place was packed with jars and cans, each labeled neatly. The air was thick with the scent of cinnamon, cloves, and something sharp—almost eye-watering. Everything was arranged too perfectly, just like I was starting to expect from this town.
And there, near the entrance, a painting. A painting from yesterday. I noticed because some houses were missing. Perfect.
The shopkeeper—a burly Light Fairy with a deep voice—held up a small, wrinkled red pod.
"This is called a chili," he said. "A spice from the humans."
I eyed it skeptically.
"Try one?" he offered, his expression unreadable.
I popped it into my mouth.
Fire. Pure, unholy fire.
My throat burned, my tongue screamed, and my entire existence was reduced to a singular thought—water. Water. WATER!
I choked, my eyes watering.
The shopkeeper chuckled. "Oh? You can't handle spice?"
I glared at him, fanning my tongue as he handed me a cup of tea. I downed it in one go.
"What do you mean, I can't handle spice?" I rasped between coughs.
His grin widened.
Ignoring the lingering agony, I straightened up. "In fact," I said, voice rasping, "I'll take a bag of these."
His brows lifted as he bit into one effortlessly. That smug look. I refused to be mocked by a Light Fairy. How could they be so carefree with these human spices? But then again... didn't I want to be human?
Was being human supposed to be this painful?
The shopkeeper glanced at my basket. "Ah, I see you're a cook. Love Fairies can cook, right?"
"Of course I can cook," I said, pride swelling in my chest. I did know how to cook.
"Chilis go well with fish," he added confidently.
I blinked. Wait a minute...
That was exactly what I was going to cook for Scarlette.
A slow grin spread across my face.
"How much again?" I asked.
"One Light Stone, sir."
I handed him the stone and leaned in, whispering, "It's here."
He blinked in confusion.
I smirked. "The Baltimorean Emerald."
His expression remained blank.
I sighed, lowering my voice to a conspiratorial hush. "The reality-altering stone, silly. The one from my kingdom—the Love Fairy Kingdom."
His eyes flickered with uncertainty.
"Surely you've noticed things missing, haven't you?" I pressed, my voice smooth, persuasive. "Yes, King Luxeron is behind it. Haven't you heard?" I added, pretending to glance around, cautious and dramatic.
His gaze shifted to a painting on the wall. He frowned, grabbed it, and compared it to the street outside.
His fingers tightened on the frame. "I painted this yesterday…"
I leaned in closer, my voice low and teasing. "And yet, something isn't the same, is it?"
The colour drained from his face. "Well, someone stole the Emerald from him. Don't you see? Reality is falling apart," I said, layering on a tone of false concern.
Without another word, he spun on his heel and bolted into the back of his shop.
I picked up my bag of chilis, a smug grin spreading across my face.
Another one down.