" Alfar disappeared through the swinging doors and returned." Alfar disappeared through the swinging doors and returned. "You be lucky girl." He carefully counted out eleven silver, bronze, ten copper, and brass pieces. "That one coin could feed you and house you overhead for four months. Stay here, the both of you." Sliding the gold piece into his apron, he closed a cloak around his shoulders and slid out. Kathy watched him go. She turned back to her beer and drank quietly; Myrna appeared uninterested in her and instead began cleaning the tables, filling lanterns along the wall, and dusting the curtains on the windows. "Luke!" she whispered when she thought Myrna was out of range, "You didn't tell me my staff was magical!" "Did you ask?" "No, but I think it's something you should have told me! What can it do?" "I don't know." "What? I thought you were the source of all magic in Backwater." "I am. Let's put it this way; in one sense I am your companion, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you see me in my other sense, as referee." "That's just great." Kitty stared at the yellow cover of the book. Alfar returned after a few minutes and said "Myrna, we be doing well. The money's goin' up, and the taxes are paid." Myrna smiled and still didn't speak. Alfar slid back to his place behind the bar and said, "You still here, lass?" "You told me not leave." "Aye, I did, didn't I? Listen close... What ye' gave me was a gold. It's worth twelve silvers. A silver's twelve bronze, a bronze twelve copper, a copper twelve brass. Lodgin' here's a copper, but hot water's expensive. Below brass there's an iron piece; beer's two iron a mug." Kitty nodded. It wasn't going to be easy keeping that in her head; she opened her book and wrote down what Alfar was telling her. "Ye c'n write!" Alfar said. "Can't everybody?" Kitty asked. "Na, lass... not in Backwater. Sometimes, when ye come in, ye ferget. |