Chapter 17: Mission Success

Molly walked out of the store with an enthusiastic bounce in her step, a small basket clutched in her right hand, filled to the brim with boxes of chocolate she had just purchased from the shop behind her. Her lips curved upward as she surveyed the bustling market square ahead, where merchants called out in lively voices and sunlight spilled across the cobblestones in warm, honeyed pools.

Beside her, she heard a sigh. “You know… you didn’t need to buy one for me too, right?” Sebastian said.

Molly turned to face him. He wore an amused expression as he dangled the box of chocolate loosely from his fingers, as if unsure what to do with it.

She tilted her head, and the black orb drifted out from the pocket of her robe.

~ Why not? You said you’re a close colleague of Fiona’s. It would be wrong of me not to buy anything for you.

Another sigh slipped from his lips as he read the floating words. “If everyone could see the world that way, we might all be at peace with one another.” He let his gaze sweep over the vibrant stalls that lined the market street in neat, orderly rows. The voices of sellers boomed across the crowd, each cry competing to lure in the next customer.

A frown soon settled on his face when he noticed something peculiar.

“Isn’t this the street where we started?” he muttered, glancing at one small shop painted in a brownish-gold hue.

He turned his attention back to her. “And isn’t that the very store where I met you?”

Molly gave a brief nod. The orb shimmered, projecting her thoughts:

~ It is. We’re going to pass a shorter cut at the end of this street that leads toward the bakery.

A bright expression lit her features.

~ And I still have one more errand to run.

Sebastian’s confused look gradually melted away. “Is that so?” A knowing glint entered his eyes, and the corner of his mouth barely lifted as he watched Molly nod with enthusiasm.

“Alright then,” he said, shifting his gaze back to the lively street. “Lead the way.”

Molly took a short, skipping stride as she quickened her pace, guiding Sebastian forward while secretly, eagerly awaiting Eric’s reply. Her eyes darted toward the small shop painted in that familiar brownish-gold. Her expression softened when she spotted Eric standing at the entrance of the stall, glancing around with nervous energy, already waiting for her.

The moment Eric noticed Molly, his tense posture eased. He raised his hand, preparing to offer a short wave and the signal they had agreed upon, but he paused when he saw Molly excuse herself and walk briskly toward him, the little basket of chocolates swinging gently at her side.

Eric watched as Molly stopped directly in front of him, plucked a box of chocolate from the basket she carried, and extended it toward him with a warm and open expression.

He stared at her outstretched hand for a long moment. His gaze lifted to the black orb as it wove a sentence together.

~ Another gift. Please don’t reject it.

A gentle warmth spread across his features. He accepted the chocolate with care. “Thanks,” he said. Then, with a calm and deliberate motion, he dipped his hand into his own pocket and produced a small box brimming with radenite seeds.

He offered it to her. “I was planning on giving you later, but now that you’re here.” He motioned. “Please don’t reject it.”

Molly gazed at his hand, her lips pursing in thought as she wondered whether the Jigeens could finish both boxes. In the end, she accepted the gift with a short bow of thanks, which Eric immediately waved off with a dismissive gesture.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something important, his expression brightened. A lopsided smirk tugged at his mouth, and he gave Molly a firm thumbs up. “Take care,” he said.

A brilliant grin spread across Molly’s face. The signal was clear. The mission had succeeded.

Fiona truly did know Sebastian.

With a swift nod, Molly bade Eric farewell and walked back toward where Sebastian waited. The two of them resumed their path through the crowded streets, falling into step beside one another as the noise of the market hummed around them.

*****

Molly’s steps slowed to a halt when she reached a particular spot in the market square. Her crimson eyes settled on a store that stood neatly apart from the others, its structure larger than any she and Sebastian had passed along the way.

“So this is it?” Sebastian asked from beside her. Molly turned to look at him and gave a short nod. The black orb floating above her shoulder dissolved and reformed, weaving her words into view:

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

~ This is the bakery where you’ll be able to find Fiona.

Sebastian gave a brief nod in return, his gaze shifting back to the store. “Eoma’s Bakery.” A small, upward curl tugged at his lips as he read the sign hanging above the entrance.

“I really did take a wrong turn back there,” he murmured to himself.

After a moment, he glanced at Molly and inclined his head toward the shop. “Shall we get going, then?”

Molly shook her head.

A slight crease appeared on Sebastian’s brow. “Why not?”

The particles dissolved and shaped her reply:

~ You’re free to go. But I’ll have to stay here. I still have one last errand to run.

A bright expression surfaced on her face.

~ And it’s one of my favorites.

Sebastian considered this for a moment, the frown on his face receding into curiosity. A sigh escaped his lips as he stepped back. “Alright then.”

Now it was Molly’s turn to frown.

~ You’re not going?

Sebastian’s mouth quirked with silent laughter. “I’ve been with you through all your errands,” he said. “Why would I miss this one? Not to mention it being the last.”

He drew in a deep breath. A sweet scent of honeyed wheat drifted into his nose, and his eyes wandered toward the bakery once more. “Besides, if Eoma’s bread carries aromas this alluring, I might just buy every loaf in there if I don’t control myself.”