“Excuse me?” I say softly. He jumps, clutching his bag protectively. His chest heaves with the panic of surprise. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” I point to the door. “Where does that go?”
“What’ll you pay me to know?”
“I have to pay you for an answer to a simple question?”
He puffs his chest and wipes his nose with his thumb. He no doubt looks very tough in his mind’s eye. “Nothing is free.”
“I’ll just walk over and find out myself, then.” I push away from the wall.
“Oh, you’re no fun, miss.” He groans. “Fine, it’s just a side access to town. Are you needing something? I can fetch it for you.”
“For a price, right?”
“You learn fast, I see.” The boy has a snaggletooth grin and soft purple eyes. “I’m little, so I can sneak anywhere and—wait…you’re her. The human. Aren’tcha?”
I wonder how he knew. I couldn’t tell Oren was fae for weeks, until I saw his wings. Without the inhuman features visible, it’s impossible to tell the fae are any different from me.
“I have no interest in working with you.” I bristle at being discovered.
“Hey, hey, no need for the long face, miss. I’m not gonna hurt you.” He laughs. “I’ve just never met a living, breathing human before.”
I fold my arms over my chest protectively, rethinking my course of action. He doesn’t look older than ten. But maybe his appearance is a glamour. Maybe he’s another monster in disguise.
“Sorry, I have to go.”
“Wait, didn’t you need something?” He dashes in front of me. “I can help you get it. Really. I won’t even ask much.”
I glance back to the door, biting my lip. “I want to go somewhere with music and song. What will that cost me?”
He thinks about it for a second, puffing out his cheeks while he does. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll get you a cloak so no one notices how funny you look without claws or tails or horns or wings”—Oh, I’m the funny looking one?—“and then I’ll take you somewhere with music. And all it’ll cost you is…”
I brace myself.
“A dance.”
“A single dance? That’s it?”
“A single dance is my price for everything I just said.”
Fae can’t lie. Which means he can’t go back on his bargain. It seems harmless enough… “Sure.”
“Really?” He blinks and then his smile widens. He bounces from foot to foot with restless excitement. “Excellent. You just bought yourself the best guide in Dreamsong. There’s nowhere Raph the Light-Footed doesn’t know how to get to.”
His enthusiasm is infectious and I can’t stop a smile from cracking my lips. One that widens as the door opens and sunlight hits my face.
