Page 10 of Born for Lace

What does he mean?

“This is my only form of exchange…” I try to calm down as my chest squeezes. "I- I- don't understand.” I force a smile. “I thought stamps were The Cradl?—"

"Only worth somethin’ in their tower.”

My lungs burn.No."That's?—"

"Planned.” He grins and all his teeth are missing from his wide, gummy mouth. “So you don’t go leavin’. And if you do, it ain’t easy. They’re not gonna give you somethin’ valuable, so you can just leave with it. Are they? We get a lot of runaways ‘ere."

I don’t understand.

“Can you cook?"

What is he saying?

“Can you fish?”

I step backward, feeling light-headed and faint. With no exchange, I’m… I’m stuck, in danger, helpless.

Spero starts to whimper and squirm at my chest. I say, “I can sew and clean?—”

"Don’t need that. And, nothin’ is free in The Cradle,” the man says. “Goodwill is a lie. Meaningful Purpose is a virtue. You know that.”

Meaningful Purpose…

I grip the counter.

“I'll help you out,” he offers, and I lift my gaze to meet his. “I’m generous to your kind, see. You can do your Trade. You can sleep beside me as trade for an apple and whatever it is you need for that babe you tryin’ to hide... Milk or formula? Can’t make ya own? Is the child new? Are you bleeding still?”

“I—"I’m dizzy.“I’m not…”

“I won't harm you. It's a simple trade, and one you were born for. Easy. You don’t have to do anythin’. I’m feelin’ a bit down these ‘ere days. It’s a decent Trade, yours is. To relieve and soothe a depressed man. Well?"

"Sleep—” Confusion hangs on my tongue. "Besideyou? Like in the Deep Sleep? In exchange for formula—" I try to breathe. “You have formula?”

His eyes lap the length of my body, and although I’m heavily clothed, I suddenly feel completely naked.

My empty stomach growls, and Spero cries louder. I stifle the urge to throw my arms around myself and him and run from the Hub. Instead, I fist the useless stamps.

"You're a Lace Girl?" he says. “You all smell the same. Like that bloody La Mu leaf.”

My voice is small as I answer, "Yes. I am a Lace Girl from the Half-tower.”

“Property of The Trade.” He leers. “Valuable property. Let me guess, you wanna get to the Common Community up north? Your Ward isn’t treatin’ you very well? That’s why you’re ere’.”

“Um…”

Maple!She was trying to get to the little girl with the upside-down bird.

A girl she saw in a dream that she swears is trying to guide her. This girl is a phantom with no face or name.

Maple retold the dream, where she followed the girl north through a grey tunnel. At the end, there was no Redwind. She breathed fresh air. She found herself in a farming community between mountains, safe from the wild weather. Untouched and untagged by The Trade.

Is Tomar taking me up north?

“Well?” The old man leans closer, inundating me with his rank breath when he smiles, and my gaze becomes snagged on his mouth. On trenches of gums. Hedoeshave teeth—tiny teeth. Rows of small, sharp ones that coat the entire cleft of his inner mouth.

My blood turns to ice when a term comes to my mind.Endigo.

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