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But it was just Shelby and Miles

Together Alone

They turned to face the black stone walls around the city, which surrounded a high central keep Marigold-colored flags hung from iron poles in the tall stone tower The air smelled like coal and moldy hay Music came from inside the walls--a lyre maybe, some soft-skinned druel whose Announcer could take the two of theed

Miles was still holding out his hand, gazing at her like he had no idea how deep blue his eyes were She took a deep breath and slipped her palave her hand a little squeeze and the two of them strolled into town

TWO

BIZARRE BAZAAR

Gone was the peaceful countryside Instead, just outside the city gates, there was a great bustling, with rayish bro, in winter--on both sides of the road leading to the tall black city walls The tents were clearly part of a te The happy chaos of the peoplearound reminded Shelby a little of Bonnaroo, which she had seen pictures of on the Internet She studied what people earing--apparently the wimple look was in She didn’t think she and Miles stuck out too badly

They joined the crowd passing through the gates and followed the flow of people, which seemed to move in only one direction: toward the market in the central square Turrets rose before therand castle near the far limits of the city walls The square’s cornerstone was a nized the spindly towers) A ray streets and alleys sliced off fro, and vibrant, the kind of place where you went to find anything and anyone

"Linen! Two bolts for tenpence!"

"Candlesticks! One of a kind!"

"Barley beer! Fresh barley beer!"

Shelby and Miles had to leap out of the way to avoid the stocky friar pushing a cart with earthenware jugs of barley beer They watched his broad, gray-robed back as he cut a path through the crowded et a little space, but acitizens filled the gap

It was nearly i into someone

There were sochildren’s thieving hands away from the apples for sale--that no one paid attention to Miles and Shelby at all

"How are we ever going to find anyone we know in this cesspool?" Shelby held tight to Miles’s hand as the tenth person stepped on her foot This orse than that Green Day concert in Oakland where Shelby bruised two ribs in the mosh pit

Miles craned his neck "I don’t know Maybe everyone knows everyone else?" He was taller than most of the citizens, so it wasn’t as bad for hiht line, but she was feeling a claustrophobic fit co on: She felt the telltale flush creep across her cheeks Frantically, she tugged at the high collar of her dress, hearing a few stitches snap "How do people breathe in these things?"

"In through your nose, out through yourhis own advice for a second before the stench forced him to wrinkle his nose "Er Look, there’s a well over there How about a drink?"

"We’ll probably get cholera," Shelbyher behind hi clothesline dagly, clucking black roosters, and angled past a pair of redheaded brothers peddling pears before they ended up at the well It was an archaic thing--a ring of stones around a hole, with a wooden tripod set up over the opening A led from a primitive pulley

After a few seconds, Shelby could breathe again "People drink froh the market took up roup of medieval mannequins robed in burlap had been set up on one side of the well Young boys practiced wielding wooden swords, tilting at the ancestors of crash-test du ely pretty songs Even the as its own little destination

She sa that there was a wooden crank to raise the bucket A boy in skintight buckskin leggings had dipped a ladle of water froirl with enormous wide-set eyes and a holly branch tucked behind her ear She drained the ladle in a few thirsty gulps, gazing lovingly at the boy the whole ti down her chin and onto her beautiful creaown

When she was finished, the boy passed the ladle to Miles with a wink Shelby wasn’t sure she liked what that wink insinuated, but she was too thirsty to make a scene

"Here for the St Valentine’s Faire, are you?" the girl asked Shelby in a voice as placid as a lake

"I, uh, we--"

"Indeed," Miles ju a horrible fake British accent "When do the celebrations commence?"

He sounded ridiculous But Shelby sed her laugh to avoid giving him away She wasn’t sure ould happen if they were found out, but she’d read of is, of torture devices like the wheel and the rack Lip balm, Shelby Stay positive Hot cocoa and sun salutations and reality TV Focus on that They were going to get out of here They had to

The boy draped an arirl’s waist "Anon Toirl swept her hand across the marketplace "But as you can see, most of the sweethearts have already arrived" She touched Shelby’s shoulder playfully "Don’t forget to drop your naht You too," Shelby muttered aardly, like she always did when the people at the airport check-in counter told her to have a good trip She bit the inside of her cheek as the girl and boy waved goodbye, arms still linked as they sauntered down the street

Miles gripped her arreat? A Valentine’s fair!"

This, co boy-next-door who Since when did Miles get jazzed about a sappy Valentine’s Day party?

She was about to say so sarcastic when she saw that Miles looked--well … hopeful Like he actually wanted to go With her? For some reason, she didn’t want to crush hied nonchalantly "Sounds like fun"

"No" Miles shook his head "I oing to be anywhere That’s where we’ll find soet home"