Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The morning rush was over now. Jude had managed it well enough on autopilot with her hands busy and her mind on old wounds brought about by that offensive call with Bryern. She dreaded their impending meeting as one dreads a root canal; painful and necessary.
As if summoned by dread, Nicasia materialised in the doorway of Cosmic Brew Cafe.
The princess wore her late twenties with unearthly grace. Of course she did. She entered in a vision of coral pink, her hair plaited with bursts of pearls and spiral shells. She revelled in the turning of heads and the gasps her mere presence inspired from onlookers as she floated to the counter, smiling toothily at Jude.
'Jude Duarte. My, how you have aged.'
'Nicasia,' Jude returned, smacking a used espresso puck into the knock-box with undue force. 'Are you lost?'
Nicasia blinked innocently at her. 'Is that any way to greet a customer?'
Customer?
'Fine. What are you having?'
Nicasia hummed at the menu, perusing it as though it were an unsatisfactory love letter she already planned to throw away.
'I'll take a cap,' she tried. 'Uh. A cap-ooh...'
'A cappuccino?' Jude supplied.
'But you must make sure to salt it thoroughly. You mortals never season your drinks and it's disgusting.'
'One salty cappuccino, coming right up.'
The irony was lost on the princess. She strolled from the counter to inspect all the nooks and crannies of the cafe, earning strange looks in all directions. Jude was waving impatiently for her attention.
'You have to pay for it, Nicasia. You have to pay me for your drink. It's three dollars.'
The princess flicked a heavy turquoise plait over her shoulder and gave a melodious laugh. She returned to the counter, her delicate fingers deep in her satin coin purse. She produced three sandy disks that looked like shards of bone. Jude took them and frowned deeply.
Sand dollars. Nicasia had paid her in sand dollars.
'They're charmed with luck,' Nicasia said simply.
Jude shrugged and tipped the briny coins into her register, figuring the prospect of luck was more valuable to her than three mortal dollars right now. Nicasia found a seat beneath the constellation mural, and Jude filled a milk jug and let it chatter for a long while under the steamer.
'How did you find me?' Jude called over the espresso machine.
'Your sister,' declared Nicasia, as though it should have been obvious. 'How she raves about your new lifestyle.'
