“It isn’t fair of them.” Tseetsaa knew she was whining. She just didn’t care.

She should have known Nuliyaa and Cheeyt were plotting something when they had left the house together. They didn’t do anything together. All Cheeyt did when she came home was eat, sleep, polish her weapons, and grunt. Every moment that she wasn’t working, Nuliyaa usually spent reading books from the lending library or going to plays.

So, yes, they had obviously been up to something.

She set down her pail a little too aggressively and water slopped out over her skirt.

“Certainly sounds like they could have planned this better.” Tseetsaa’s closest friend Lemee pulled her son over and scrubbed the berries he had just eaten off of his face.

“Yes! Exactly.”

Envy stirred in Tseetsaa’s heart. Lemee had everything she wanted: caring husband, healthy children, a steady life.

Of course that was what Tseetsaa wanted. She had dreamed for years of her future family. Not of traveling for days through rain and dust, sleeping on the ground, and having to deal with people she couldn’t understand like Nuliyaa and Cheeyt seemed to want to do.

Though wouldn’t it be incredible to see the places Cheeyt had told them about?

No, no. It was too dangerous a life. She wanted stability and a family of her own.

“Lemee! Tseetsaa!”

Tseetsaa closed her eyes and drew in a strengthening breath. She would need it to deal with Maarp. Especially today.

“Raawl, Maarp.” Lemee didn’t look like hearing his voice made her want to run in the other direction. Of course, Lemee was married. She wasn’t the reason he was here.

“The greens are ready to harvest,” Tseetsaa said quickly. Hopefully he was in the yard for food and hadn’t come over especially to talk to her.

“Oh.” The quick glance he gave the rows of greens bursting from the soil told Tseetsaa her hope was futile.

Speaking with Maarp—being talked at by Maarp—made Tseetsaa wish she preferred women like Cheeyt did.

Maarp planted himself in front of Tseetsaa. She considered “accidentally” knocking her pail over on his feet. “I heard about your sisters’ new company,” he said. “You’ll be so lonely without either of them around.”

It wasn’t as though she ever spent much time with them before now. “I don’t think much will change.” Except that she wouldn’t have any money. And without money, she was stuck here in the neighborhood. Where her only choice for husband was…Maarp.

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He reached forward, as if about to take her hand. As soon as she saw him moving, she leaned forward to grab the pail. His clumsy swipe bumped her wrist and more water slopped onto her skirt. Any more and she’d have to return to the well. The extra trip would be worth the effort if it prevented Maarp from touching her.

He pulled back. “Oh! I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine.”

He waited a beat, as though he thought she’d say more. Maybe take him up on his offer? “I am here whenever you would like some companionship.”

She swallowed her sigh and said, “Thank you, but I’m certain I won’t feel lonely.”

When Lemee’s cousin had married, leaving Tseetsaa and Maarp the last of their year to remain unattached, Maarp had decided he and Tseetsaa were meant to be. Tseetsaa was running out of polite ways to disagree. She was also very close to not caring. How did Nuliyaa manage? She simply gave men and women this look that sent them scurrying.

The problem was, Tseetsaa didn’t think Nuliyaa even knew she was doing it.

“Well.” She started walking. “I need to bring this water to Miyt.”

“Let me help you!” Maarp jumped forward, Tseetsaa jumped back, and the water drenched them both.

Shrieking with laughter, Lemee’s son stomped into the puddle, adding mud to the water soaking Tseetsaa’s skirt. Lemee clamped her hand across her mouth, though Tseetsaa couldn’t tell if it was from shock or if she was hiding her own laugh.

“I’ll get you more!” Maarp ripped the pail from her hands and hurried off. Tseetsaa closed her eyes, forcing herself to take long, calming breaths.

When Maarp returned with a full pail, he refused to let her carry it herself. Instead, he brought it to Miyt’s side, setting it down proudly as though carrying water—a task Tseetsaa did several times a day—was some feat worthy of legends.

“Kall wa, Maarp,” Miyt said, bestowing her calm smile on him. He preened. Tseetsaa rolled her eyes behind him. She poured a bit of the water into the stew pot.

“Of course, Miyt Lemeen.” He looked at Tseetsaa. She pretended not to notice as she stirred the stew.

After a moment, Miyt said, “I believe I see your sister calling for you, Maarp. Kall wa for the water.”

Finally he was gone. Tseetsaa reached for the dried herbs Miyt had left by the pot and started crushing them.

“Perhaps you should be more direct when you refuse his attentions,” Miyt said in that infuriatingly mild way she had.

Tseetsaa didn’t answer. What she really needed to do was find someone else so Maarp would have no choice but to accept her refusal. To do that, she needed to attend the festival. And to do that, she needed something spectacular to wear. “Miyt, do you have any money I can borrow?”

Her mother’s eyebrows drew together. “Tseetsaa, you heard your sisters. We will have to be very careful with our spending until their company is making money.”

She had to grit her teeth to keep from snapping. “I did hear them. Nuliyaa said I need to make my own money, but I am out of paper. Without paper, I have nothing to sell.”

Her options were either drawing or embroidery. Her stitches weren’t as fine as Miyt’s, but they were pretty enough. However, embroidery took so long. So she would need to sell a few sketches. Usually she brought a few to sell when she went to markets with Miyt, but she knew Miyt wasn’t planning to attend another market for a few weeks. She would need to go on her own. And if she went on her own, she could go further away from the neighborhood.

Perhaps she would meet a man while at the market.

This was a great idea.

“I have a few commissions you could help me with,” Miyt said. “I would appreciate the help.”

She would not make nearly enough from her share of Miyt’s commissions. “I will, but I would also like to make some sketches.”

Miyt studied her face for a moment before sighing. “I have a few uusengs for you.”

“Kall wa, Miyt!” She reached over to squeeze Miyt’s shoulders, bouncing excitedly. Now she only had to figure out what to draw.