Chapter 88: A Stroll Around Festival Grounds I

Orion led Sophia towards a pastry stall. The stall itself was an artwork of wood and iron. Carved wolf heads jutted from its corners, mouths open as though howling at the rows of pastries lined up beneath.

Each treat was arranged on stone slabs dusted with fine grounded white sugar, gleaming like frost in the early light. Small charms hung from the edge of the counter, tiny copper moons that jingled softly when touched.

Sophia leaned in. Her stomach gave a quiet, traitorous growl. There were only a few treats present but everything looked delicious.

The first tray was filled with what looked like braided buns, only these weren’t ordinary buns. The dough shimmered faintly as if brushed with crushed ice. The vendor called them Frostbraids, sweet dough kneaded with spice root and a rare berry called snowfire that only grew under Nirvana’s pines.

When the man broke one open to show her, steam curled out and a scent like honeyed cherries and clove hit her nose.

Next to them sat round pastries shaped like lanterns. She was sure it was done to fit the theme of what they were celebrating. These were thin layers of pastry spiraled upward, delicate as paper, their edges brushed with something gold that the vendor assured her was consumable and also a secret recipe. Inside the biscuit, there was melted custard that had an orange glow.

"What are these?" She asked the vendor curiously, eyes wide with childlike wonder.

"Moon Lanterns," the man explained. "They are best eaten warm or you’ll miss the glow. We serve this before the main festival begins, it gives everyone the spirit of celebration." He told her with a wink.

That wasn’t a lie. Seeing these really reminded people of how much this festival mattered to them and gets them in the mood for it.

Sophia nodded as she moved her gaze to another slab. On this one, something almost comical, a thick, square treat with etched runes pressed into the top, each line filled with shimmering syrup. They looked like small stone tablets.

"Ah these are Rune Bites," the man said with a grin. "Each one has a different flavor depending on the rune. It’s a surprise everytime one tries it."

And finally, in a little copper pan, a gooey, bubbling concoction sat there. It was chunks of spongy cake swimming in a syrup made from melted snow apples, they were a rare, pale-green fruit that grew on the far cliffs of Nirvana. The steam rose in sweet clouds. The vendor scooped some into a small bowl and handed it to a child who had approached them, who squealed when her first bite turned her tongue bright blue.

The girl giggled as her friends rushed around her, passing it round them as they giggled.

Sophia swallowed hard. She wanted to try everything.

Behind her, Orion chuckled softly. "Pick one," he said.

"One?" she echoed, as if he’d asked her to choose her favorite food.

"All right, pick anyone you want. It doesn’t matter the amount. But don’t say I never spoil you."

She pointed at a Frostbraid and a Moon Lantern, and the vendor wrapped them in thin parchment stamped with a silver wolf. Orion reached for his belt pouch and counted out a few coins.

Sophia caught the motion out of the corner of her eye. Something about it made her straighten. She hadn’t earned this. She’d barely been working at the library a month. The warm pastries in her hands suddenly felt heavier.

In her head, she vowed to pay him back.

A finger flicked her forehead lightly. "Ow!"

Orion arched a brow, smirking. "Get that thought out of your head."

She rubbed her forehead. "What thought?"

"The one where you’re plotting to pay me back."

"I wasn’t plotting..."

"Uh-uh, don’t think about lying to me. I’m very sensitive." He told her with a shudder.

"Unmannered oaf," she grumbled under her breath. "A gentleman doesn’t flick a woman’s head."

"I’ve never been a gentle man," he replied, amused.

Sophia rolled her eyes, but the warmth in her chest deepened. She broke open the Frostbraid first, steam curling up, the crimson snowfire berry running through the soft bread. The first bite melted on her tongue, it was sweet, tangy, and spiced enough to prickle her lips.

"Oh," she whispered with wide eyes. "Oh my!"

"That good?" Orion asked.

She only hummed, already licking the crimson off her thumb. Then she tried the Moon Lantern. The custard inside glowed faintly as she bit down, and it dribbled warm sweetness across her fingers. She giggled, wiping it quickly. "This is incredible."

"You’ve got a bit..." Orion gestured vaguely to his own mouth.

She swiped her cheek. "Gone?"

"Nope." He reached out with a napkin and wiped the corner of her lips, a brief, almost hesitant touch. "Now gone."

Sophia’s heart gave an odd little flutter. She shoved another bite into her mouth to ignore it.

On impulse she grabbed one of the blue-tongue sweets from the copper pan, little cake chunks drenched in snow apple syrup. The vendor winked at her as he handed it over.

The moment the syrup touched her tongue, it tingled and fizzed like tiny sparks. She clapped her hand over her mouth.

"What?" Orion asked.

"It’s warm but tingly and also...I can’t explain it." She told him.

She stuck out her tongue, bright, shocking blue.

He laughed, a full, rich sound. "Your tongue looks exactly like that kid’s."

Sophia squealed, laughing too. "It’s so weird!" Her voice was slightly muffled by her hand.

"That’s called Skysweet," the vendor said proudly. "Kids love it. Turns your tongue into a blue colour."

Sophia twirled in a small circle, giddy at trying the sweets.

Orion watched her, an almost soft expression flickering over his face before he hid it behind a crooked smile. "Ready to see something else?"

She nodded eagerly, still licking the syrup from her fingers.

He guided her through the square where more stalls had opened. This one was different, quieter, its goods displayed on dark velvet cloths. Jewelry glimmered under the lantern light: rings shaped like coiling wolves, bracelets etched with protective runes, pendants carved from river stone and strung on silver thread. Each piece glowed faintly, as though moonlight lived inside it.

Sophia slowed, eyes darting from one treasure to another. The craftsmanship was delicate but strong, just like how Mary had been.

"See anything you like?" He asked her.

"No," she said quickly.

He arched a brow.

Liar

Her gaze had snagged on a particular pair: small blue stones shaped like twin crescents, glinting even in the daylight. The stall owner, a woman with ink-dark hair, smiled.

"They glow in the dark," she said softly. "The charms are woven into the silver."

Sophia’s eyes widened, childlike wonder creeping into her features. She wanted to touch them. She wanted to wear them. But she folded her arms instead and shook her head.

Orion gave her a sidelong look but didn’t press.

They moved on.

As they walked past the last table, something caught Sophia’s eye.

She stopped, pointing. "What is that?"