excerpt from I Sold Your Soul for Chocolate

This is an exerpt from my current work in progress, I Sold Your Soul for Chocolate.  Enjoy!

“My mother would Reap my soul if I sold one of hers for a Warple.” I say, eyeing the small silver coin with disgust. The boy that holds it out to me is young. Too young. Eight, maybe. I should know better than to trade with children. What’s he going to do with a soul, anyway?

            “Your mother would Reap your soul if she caught you selling one.” A voice from behind me remarks. I turn around. Imeko. Best friend and also best customer. A smile teases the corners of my mouth. She’s right. I mean, mother’s got to know I take them. How else would they go missing? But seeing me selling one is a whole different matter.

            “How very true. The boy bids a Warple. What have you got?”

            “Information.” Imeko’s eyes connect with mine.

            “What kind of information?”

            “Business expansion. Serious jackpot.” Her slender body leans closer to mine, like she’s telling me some great secret. I smile. Now someone’s talking my language. Imeko always has very reliable sources. She’s one of the few people I trust.

“Look, I know it’s not much, but it’s better than dumb old information. Take it or leave it.” The boy cuts in, afraid to lose the soul I was never going to give him. His voice sounds snooty but I see the panic in his eyes.

            “I’ll leave it.” I fold my arms across my chest and glower down at him so he knows I’m serious. I need to set an age limit. Babies just don’t know how to barter.

            “Ok, wait. What about potions? You’d take a trade wouldn’t you? Give me an hour. I can get whatever you want.”

            “I don’t trade for potions.”

            “Why not? I can get you anything.

Imeko laughs, earning a smile on my face and a glare from the boy’s. Imeko knows exactly what I’m thinking, as usual.

            “You realize that I had to steal this soul from my mother’s Aerial Ossuary, right?” He looks dumbfounded. “Why would I trade for a potion when it’d be far easier to steal whatever I wanted than the soul I stole in the first place? I don’t have to bypass any enchantments to get a potion. And mother’s soul bound potions are better than anything you could give me.”

            He looks angry that I called him out on his lack of brainpower, but responds with nothing but a strange combination of a glare and a pout that only a kid could produce. I don’t care. “We can reconvene when you have something worth my time.” I wave my hands to let him know he’s dismissed. I’m never the first to walk away. It’s unprofessional.

            He gives me one hard glare before turning on his heels and storming through the forest. He tangles his face in a branch and stumbles awkwardly out of it before fumbling the remaining distance. I try not to laugh. Imeko does. His long, brown hair is messily pulled back behind his head. It is infested with weeds and twigs and floats behind him like a tumble weed. His black trousers and crimson cloak are soiled with mud and a week’s worth of food. Someone needs to teach him about personal hygiene, I think. His stubby brown legs weave through the mud unnaturally. It is obvious he doesn’t trek out to the forest often.

            I wait until his small figure is nearly out of sight before I turn to Imeko. “Deal.” I say, placing the cold jar in her hands. She smiles, greedily. “So, what’s this great piece?”

            “Kaedonians.” I raise my eyebrows. Not what I’d been anticipating.

            “What about them?” I ask, though I know exactly what she’s getting at. And Imeko is right. If I could expand my sales to the Kaedonian Kingdom, I’d be set for life. But I doubt there’s interest in my kind of business that far north. They’re too soft.

            “A couple of them accosted me in the City Center a few nights ago. Said they were looking for the Soul Vendor.”

            “The Soul Vendor?” Pride and curiosity fill my voice. My reputation has made it far. A reputation I never intended—or desired—to acquire. But a reputation – and a name – like that is sure to catch mother’s attention and that’s just fine with me.

            “I don’t think they know your name up North. Or even who you are. Word has just reached them that there is an elf in the South selling Reaped souls.”

            “So who were they?”

            “A boy and a girl. About our age, I think. Their names are Camryn and Cailean. Said they needed a powerful one. The most powerful you’ve got. I told them it would cost them—more than a shiny Hentee. They got really confused. Apparently money is different up North.”

            “I might have to stick with non-monetary trades then. Remaining inconspicuous is essential.” I want mother’s attention enough to drive her mad but cold hard facts about what I’m doing could get me in serious trouble with her, not to mention the Counsel. “You told them where to find me?”

            “Of course not.” She smiles. Imeko is always the practical business elf. “I told them I could arrange a meeting.”

            “And what did such arrangements cost them?” I laugh.

            A smile spreads as smooth as butter across Imeko’s face but she just laughs.

            “When is said meeting to go down?” I continue, once I realize she does not intend to respond to my previous inquiry. I’ll find out those juicy details later.

            “Tonight. Just after dark, near the Chambers of Disease.”

            “Very well. I guess I’m enlisting Cako’s assistance after class.” I say more to myself than for Imeko’s benefit. I hope mother doesn’t need Cako. I don’t have time to steal both tonight. Imeko nods and turns to head home. “Imeko,” I say, before she’s out of hearing range. She stops. “If this works out, I may need an assistant to keep things organized.”

            She smiles. “That’s what I’m counting on.