Tinderbox Under Winter Stars: Book Two in The Tinderbox Tales by Emma Sterner-Radley

Author:Emma Sterner-Radley [Sterner-Radley, Emma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Heartsome Publishing

Chapter 19

Joiners Square Fest

The night of the Joiners Square Fest finally arrived. As Nessa stepped out onto the well-trodden ice, she was almost as excited and curious as Elise.

How do you add more extravagance and colour to something like the frost faire?

She was about to ask Anja, when Elise pointed to the confectioner’s tent and hurried towards it.

Anja chuckled. “She’s off then. I suppose I’ll go get us all some black wine. No, you cannot have anything else, and no, I’m not letting you pay for your own.”

“Thank you!” Nessa shouted after her retreating form.

On her way to join Elise, she took in the sights. The frost faire’s reds, golds, and greens had all been switched out for Joiners Square’s silver and pale yellow in every light and every fabric. It made the whole affair seem classier but colder. Nessa wrinkled her nose at it.

People crowded the ice, barely leaving room for those on skates to pass through. Everyone was dressed up. Anja and Nessa had complained about having to trade in their usual trousers, vests, shirts, and sweaters for pretty, bell-shaped dresses, but Elise had insisted they make an effort. She had not only gone out and spent a chunk of her newly earned gold on dresses, but also picked up new, elegant wool coats for herself and Anja. And, knowing that Nessa would not be parted from her tatty leather coat, gotten her a new fur cloak, hat, gloves, and long boots which all matched the brown coat.

They arrived at the sugar works tent. Smiling at them was the round, white-blonde confectioner who had been there last. “Hello again, madam. Back for another ballerina?”

Elise started. “You remember me?”

“With those unusual golden eyes? Of course I do, madam.”

Nessa smirked as she saw Elise blink a few times extra and adjust her hair.

Anja caught up with them, balancing three mugs of hot wine. “Nessa, take one of these. And tell Miss Sugar-Addict over there to get me some rose-flavoured sweets.”

Nessa took her mug. “I’ll buy them for you. Elise is busy flirting with the pretty confectioner.”

“I can see that. Most wives would be jealous.”

Nessa almost said that they weren’t married until she collected herself. “I’m sure they would, but I trust Elise. Flirting is merely her way of interacting. I think it might’ve been the way she was raised. To be pretty and make everyone adore her. She doesn’t know that there’s much more to her than that.”

Anja blew on her wine, sending the steam Nessa’s way. “True enough. Still, are you sure it doesn’t bother you?”

Nessa shrugged, looking at the love of her life who was being shown different sugary treats. “Not with strangers. Her flirting with friends, people who see beyond her pretty surface, that worries me more.” Nessa winked at Anja as she added, “Like you.”

Anja nearly choked on her wine. “Me?”

“Yes, you. The two of you quickly formed some sort of bond.”

“Only because she wanted to work for me and…” Anja seemed to hesitate, and when she spoke again, she was no longer meeting Nessa’s eye.

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