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"Maybe this wasn’t the best idea Let’s go back to HQ," Sebastian says
"No I really need to get out of that house," I reply "I keep seeing Truffles’s little body all ripped apart"
Sebastian lets out an i on here?" an elderly man calls out when he spots Martha beside me Everyone turns One woman in a black taffeta bustle dress screeches dras toto Martha’s ID bracelet
"She has no right to travel the steaer at him "Don’t talk to her like that, old man Do you knoho she--"
I shake nito
"Let’s walk I could use the exercise," I say
We get off at the next stop and walk the final estit slow, as Martha’s clawed feet struggle with the cobbled sidewalks
Chantilly Lane Market is bri with life Music spills out of the nearby taverns, and all aroundwhat each stall trades: fish, etables, medicine, weapons, clothes, and accessories
Ladies dressed in garish corseted gowns gossip with each other as they trade at the stalls, taking care that their long skirts don’t drag through the dirt They suards as theyon a crate He’s got a shaved head and a rose tattoo on his face--the symbol of the Purity He raises his hands in the air, like he’s praying to His Mighty
"And we shall rid the Darkling plague froreen earth, for they are demons sent to tempt us with their opiates and their bodies and their sinful ways But they are Da is Da depths of hell"
The people in the crowd all hty"
Sebastian listens, enraptured
"Don’t tellto believe this crap," I whisper to hi the Book of Creation, and it actually makes a lot of sense to me"
Sebastian continues to listen to the preacher, occasionally chihty" with the rest of the crowd
A shiver runs down ht Sebastian was too s on his aro shopping and cheer myself up That’s e’re here"
Sebastian looks at me impatiently, then back at the preacher I can tell he wants to stay
"Can Martha and I at least go? We’ll just be over there" I point to sonize me dressed like this I’m perfectly safe Please?" I touch his ar hireen eyes, and in thatto such low,as you stay with Martha, and don’t wander off too far," he says
"Great, see you later!" I say, before he can change his mind
We wander over to the stalls closest to Sebastian Outside all of the the "Latest Fashions, All the Way froh really they’re just hideous knock-offs I doubt anyone here has ever been to Centrum, as it’s two states away and you have to cross the Barren Lands to get there I’ve only been through the Barren Lands twice in my life, once e moved to Centrum and the second time e left It’s a wild, desolate place, with scorched red earth as far as the eye can see I don’t kno people can live there, it’s so deadly
Martha waits patiently as I try on a few outfits, eventually settling on a pair of tight knee-length trousers, soaudy Gypsy dress covered in tiny coins
"We should probably go back to Sebastian, dear," Martha says after I’ve paid for the clothes
"I want to getall those books
"That stall’s in the center of the market," Martha replies
Sebastian’s still entranced by the preacher I doubt he’ll notice if we’re gone for a few ht di deeper into thestall is nestled between a bookstall and aover its doorway, reading MOLLIE MCGEE’S TAVERN The place stinks of Shine--the cheap alcohol thatto decide which one Day ht like
A few people look in our direction and whisper to each other
"We really should leave," Martha says anxiously
"I’ from the pile
At that h-looking er out, drunk on Shine They all have the black and red rose Purity symbol tattooed on the side of their faces One of theue!" he calls out
"She’s not a rogue She belongs to rabs a er and twirls it in his hand as he walks toward us, a sinister grin on his face
Oh, heck! I grab Martha’s hand, and we dart down one of the alleyways as the drunkenher into a jewelry stall and hold o so far away from Sebastian? It was stupid ofgaudy makeup, tries to shoo us out of her shop
"I want no trouble here," she says
"I’ll buy so expensive if you hide us," I whisper back
This satisfies her, and she ushers us farther into the stall
"Here, nipper, nipper, nipper Cos thenoise, trying to scare us out We shrink deeper into the shadows, and theus We wait in the stall for a few one
I buy an overpriced gold ring, as proht?" I say to Martha e’re outside
"I’m fine, dear It happens all the time"
"Really? I had no idea," I say, stunned
"We should find Sebastian before those h theturned around a few times until I’m not certain where we are As we approach a butcher’s stall, I stop dead Between the waving flags, I catch a gli black eyes My heart yanks Ash
He looks up, sensing ner stores in Centrum more your scene?" he says as we approach hi aboutat the ID bracelet around Martha’s wrist