Page 54 of Crown of Ellova: Vol 1

The sounds of the city center of Lavencia, Ellova’s capital city, grow louder as Tavien, Nueena, Leon, and I pass into the crowded market that completely surrounds the Ink Court’s circular library. Facing the round library are tall marble structures standing on one side of the market’s entrance. Shoppers stroll through the dozens of shops that encircle the trading quarter as sunset nears. Daily vendors have set up shop in the curving cobblestone road. Freshly baked bread and roasting meat cooked over an open flame permeates the air, the scents mouthwatering.

“How was your time with Viella?” I ask Leon.

“It was interesting. She is—” He looks thoughtful.

“My dear friend.” I narrow my eyes at him in case he plans on saying anything unkind about her.

“I was going to say energetic. She seems like she gets more done in an hour than I get done all day.”

Relaxing, I laugh at that. “Yes, she certainly does.”

“Will she continue to be my babysitter? She is incredibly sweet but she asks a lot of questions at an alarming rate. She almost got my whole life story out of me.”

I giggle at that. She is particularly good at her job, and unfortunately for Leon, he had no idea who he was speaking to. “I’ll try to keep you near but I cannot promise anything.”

A young male carrying a tray of flaky jam tarts to a nearby booth stops to offer us some and wishes Nueena well for her coronation. I grab a few, passing one each to Nueena and Tavien, and Leon takes his own with a polite thanks. He chews slowly as he walks beside me, taking in the lively crowd.

Most of those selling have some symbol of their court on display, with banners in the shop windows or hanging from their carts.

Nueena and Tavien stop to speak with some vendors, but Leon and I keep walking, taking in the succulent smell of seasoned meat roasted on red sticks wrapped in a large purple leaf for travel with a sweet and spicy sauce dribbled on it. I steer him over to the elderfae with drooping pointed ears and small spectacles.

“Hungry, you two?” he asks kindly, flipping the sizzling fare.

“Very much so, thank you.” Leon nods next to me.

A long paper is pinned to his cart, listing the trade options he will accept in exchange for his delicious fare. The items range fromajoketoa new roof for a friend’s shop. I search the list and seeGift for a new Zemra mating - female.I rifle through the jewelry I’ve brought and pull out a small pair of pink-and-yellow diamond stud earrings. The seller peers through the cooking smoke and nods hastily.

The elderfae chooses the four sticks with the juiciest portions, adds extra sauce to ours, and hands us the purple leaves to carryour meal. I thank him with a bow. Leon sees this and does so as well.

“So coins are useless here?” he asks quietly when we have walked further away so as not to be overheard by the vendor.

“We don’t have any currency. It’s all by trade, barter, or gift.”

“So if we had nothing to trade, it would have been a gift?”

“Yes. We are hungry; we had a need and he provided it. If it were a larger, more pressing need, he would have sent a trade reminder to my court to settle the cost.”

“Surely those earrings were worth a hundred times the cost of four meals.”

I wish I were surprised by his questions, but after spending time in Adreania, I know how greedy mortals can be, how different it is here. He may be a selfless man but he has known many who are not.

“Since the trade was not equal, he will balance it out. Watch.”

The vendor raises a small yellow Gem Court flag.

“Now anyone walking by will be offered a meal. The flag is yellow for my court, but if it had been Nueena, the flag would have been purple.”

“Fascinating. What a wonderful place to live.”

Most trade something small with the vendor: a new ink pot, a glass of wine from a vendor next to him, a bag of apples. But a few fae see the flag and enjoy a meal without the need to barter for it. A father with three dewlings takes just enough home for his household, the little ones at his feet each carrying their own meal. A small group of young scholars from the Ink Court rush the cart, delighted for the free meal after their classes as if they didn’t have a delicious evening meal within the library before us.

“Fae magic is infused with the land and water, so everything grown in Ellova is naturally flavored with sweetness. All food will taste overly sweet to you, like a dessert. Even if it looks savory like meat and cheese.”

He takes his first bite. “This is delicious! It is remarkably sweet, but the heat at the end balances the flavors.”

“Fire peppers.”

He watches everything around us. “Why do most of the vendors have banners with shades of green?”

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