Half Magic | Book 2

Six: Supplies

The markets were packed by the time we got there. We walked the extra distance to get to the largest one in the city, the best place for supplies and information on desert travel. It was still cooler from the night air, and I didn't get as many odd looks for having my cloak on, which was much appreciated.

I couldn't resist buying us a fresh loaf of a thick seeded bread, which is made of pumpkin seeds and chickpea flour. Here in Sulls, it's just called street bread and you can get it on every corner. I figured it would be at least a couple weeks before we found another bakery, probably longer, and I wanted one last taste before we left. I broke off a large piece and handed it to Schula, who eyed it suspiciously before I promised her it wasn't spicy. We saved the rest for Nassir and Puko.

The market was just as loud as I remember. The clay domed buildings that had been here since the markets were built were still here, but they had makeshift stalls strung between them made of scrap wood and colorful sheets of fabric. Every usable inch was filled with merchants hawking their wares, tables crammed with goods for sale, and market patrons elbowing each other to grab the last bowl or fish or slippers that they wanted.

It was beautiful chaos.

Schula did not like it.

"This is a lot more like battle and not at all like the markets in Thanantholl," she muttered.

I just grinned as I shoved our way around a cart of oats which was stuck in the road while it's owner argued with a heavyset man who was haggling the prices.

We followed the sluggish flow of shoppers until we reached a stand with a reasonable selection of dried fruits and preserved roasted vegetables. We looked over everything, grabbing mostly just foods we were familiar with but also one or two things that neither of us had seen before if it looked popular with the local shoppers.

"How much do we need, do you think?" Schula asked, selecting dried apple halves from a basket.

"I'm not sure," I said. "We should find out how many days it takes to cross the desert."

I handed my selection of dried pineapple rings to the merchant's son, who couldn't have been more than ten, and he weighed them on his scale and marked the price on a piece of paper, adding it to our total. He looked up as I mentioned the desert and tugged his father's sleeve.

"Hm? What is it Amar?" The merchant turned and leaned down to hear his son's whispers, then his eyes turned to us.

"You girls are crossing the desert? Alone?" he asked with a frown.

Schula glanced at me, not sure how to take the intrusive questions. I was used to the nosy people of Sulls, and tilted my face so he could see me under the hood without actually giving away my ears.

"No, but none in our party have crossed it before. Do you know how long it will take?" I asked.

He shook his head and sighed. "If I were you, I'd be hiring a guide. You'll be three weeks in the sands, and if you don't know what you're doing you'll get yourselves killed or run into the sand nomads."

I looked down in my pouch of coins, counting the dwindling amount with a sigh. "I don't know if we can afford a guide."

"It does sound like a decent idea," Schula whispered, then turned to the merchant. "Where does one find a guide through the desert?"

The merchant looked a bit relieved as he answered. "See the building with the blue flag on it? The one with the compass? Find any one of those buildings, it's the guild hall of the desert walkers, and they can tell you how to safely cross and match you with a guide if you want to go that route."