Pumpkin Patch Princess

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: The Pumpkin Pie Guy

"Well, you see, none of them are just pretty charms. They all give different kinds of luck to the bearer." She touched two glass charms nearest her. "This horse, for example, ensures safe travels. And this thimble is for domestic fortune. But I can tell that you have discriminating taste, because the shoe represents the most valuable luck of all."

"Valuable only because you want it. Tourist trap," Kit said under his breath.

The woman must have heard the comment, but she ignored it. "The shoe is a symbol of protection. This charm ensures that you will get to where you want to go in life."

I really liked that, and I told her so, pretending not to see Kit's grimace. "Maybe I'll come back for it," I said.

She gave me a knowing smile. "It will be here."

Her words stuck with me as we turned to leave. "Doesn't she think someone will buy it?"

Kit laughed. "Does it look like they were doing good business to you? And it's no wonder, with prices like that. Just buy some cheap blue sand from Marina like everyone else."

I shook my head. "Why do you even work here? You have such a condescending attitude about everything related to the market."

"Do I? I wasn't aware." The laugh in his voice told me he was fully aware. "It's something to do."

"How nice for you," I said sarcastically. "Other people work because they like what they do or they need money. But I don't think either one applies to you."

His bemused hazel eyes studied my face. "Don't you feel the need to do something once in a while? Keep busy?"

I shrugged. "I've been busy every single day of my life."

He was still watching me with his head tipped to one side. "Yes, I can believe that. So why are you always in Irisia if you come from Indigo?"

"It's something to do," I echoed, smiling. I hadn't realized we had stopped in our tracks, just looking at each other, until Muffet meowed loudly in my ear. I jumped, scowling at him before realizing that we had arrived at Janice's hut. "I've got some things to buy here."

We crowded inside and the already stuffy room felt even smaller with Kit filling up the space.

"I need some essence of pepperwood, please," I told Janice, trying to meet her creepy, milk-white stare directly. "And fifteen grams of boarhound powder."

The crone looked from me to Kit and then back, cackling. "Making a love potion, are we? I don't blame you one bit. He's a handsome one."

"What?" I asked, flustered. "I don't know what you're talking about. Maud wants the powder, obviously."

Beside me, Kit snickered.

Janice got up, grinning at us with crooked yellow teeth. "Boarhound makes them want to stay with you," she said, as she reached for a jar of white powder on a high shelf. She measured it out on some paper and winked at Kit. "Mind what you drink from now on, young man."

"I surely will, ma'am," Kit said, grinning back.

"Next time you go out with your girl, you'd better clean up a bit more," Janice said, not done lecturing him. She actually reached out and brushed off some crumbs from his shirt. "Lots of other young men about, you know."

"He's just a pie-maker who has nothing better to do than follow me around," I said loudly. "No one's getting any love potions any time soon."

"Not even that frog on your shoulder?" the crone asked, twitching an eyebrow.