Prin tried to leave Captain Thompson’s house immediately. So fast that he forgot he was barefooted and still dressed for bed. With Valor hot on his heels and in a similar condition. Although Prin’s impulsiveness was motivated more by deep concern for his friend, and Valor’s, no doubt, more by overwhelming curiosity.

Elwin was somehow able to talk some sense into them right as Prin’s hand was on the door leading to the courtyard. He reasoned that if the “bug” were going to harm Aster, the damage would be done already at this point.

Mrs. Frances and her young helper blinked at them in confused surprise, like a couple of owls in a tree, all eyes and not saying a word.

By the time they had separated to get dressed, and then met back up in Valor’s room, Valor (apparently remembering the disastrous outing to the tailors), had wanning enthusiasm for going with them.

Instead, he insisted that if they did find a fairy they convince it to come home with them right away so Valor could interrogate it.

Prin readily agreed.

Elwin had his doubts.

Prin fretted the whole way across town to Mama Kris’s establishment. The noon sun made the sweat stand out on his face, even though it was a cool day. “What will I say? What will I do? What will I tell Aster?” he asked.

“What if it really was just a moth?” Elwin countered.

“Can you believe how Valor reacted to my – what I told him?” Prin wanted to know.

They were both panting slightly as they tried to talk while power walking through the neighborhood. A couple of ladies, gossiping over the heads of their little dogs on ribbon leashes, eyeballed them with suspicion as they passed.

“Not really.” Elwin said, not looking directly at the women. “Do you think he somehow suspected . . ?” He carefully coached himself not to even glance behind or around him to see who else might be looking. He didn’t need to know.

“Maybe it hasn’t sunk in yet.” Prin said. “He hasn’t really given it thought. The implications . . .”

“Maybe he just likes you that much. So much that he doesn’t care.” Elwin said.

“Oh sto-op.” Prin said, giving a sound that was halfway between a weary laugh and an exasperated sigh. He paused briefly in his moving down the street.

Momentum carried Elwin ahead a few steps before he realized, and he was forced to walk backwards to again draw even with his prince.

Prin looked him directly in the eyes, the blue like crystal daggers, like ceremonial swords. He looked like he wanted to say something, but stopped and just shook his head with a smile. “You’re silly.”

“I know.” Elwin said.

Prin started off walking again. “We have to hurry.”

“It’s true though.” Elwin said. That people will always be trying to take you away from me. It was something he didn’t like to think about. And the next one may not be just a depressed kid, who you couldn’t help but humor a little because you felt sorry for him. Well, Elwin would just have to be ready for it when that challenge came.

Prin ignored him and kept going until they were standing in front of the pink house.

It was pretty quiet at this time of day, just the beginning stirrings of people getting up and preparing for their evening’s work.

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“Do you think this is a bad time to show up here?” Elwin hesitated in front of the building. Even though their friend lived here, it felt like such a strange place for them to have anything to do with. Very surreal.

“Of course not!” Prin said. “I guess . . . she may be asleep, but it doesn’t matter. This is too important. He took Elwin’s arm and part guided part pulled him around to the back garden where Aster’s shed was.

It was messy in the yard today. A couple of hard scrabble, bloody kneed children played in the mud as they passed. A lot of laundry hung in colorful bands, obscuring your vision of what was ahead of you. The silken fabrics, lace, and dangling ribbons rode the breeze like dainty kites struggling to be free of their pins.

They had to slow down and weave between obstacles to get to Aster’s place. A pair of lacy underwear smacked Elwin in the face, and he could feel his cheeks heat up.

Aster’s voice, sweet and soft, was ahead of them, and Prin stuck out his hand to stop Elwin in his tracks.

Elwin opened his mouth to ask what was up, but closed it again quietly when the pink night gown in front of him shifted with the breeze and he could see, just a few feet away from where they stood, Aster sitting on a makeshift bench. Just a board over two buckets but it did the trick.

He half expected her to be talking to a fairy, but alas, no.

Aster’s bright red hair was loose, a messy cloud around her face, and she was wearing only a knitted shawl and her bloomers. Obviously she had been woken abruptly. She had her arms around someone who’s head was drooped low.

Even with the face concealed, Jules was unmistakable. He was still dressed in the clothes from the night before, although considerably worse for wear then they had been. His blond hair had fallen out of the bun and the long tendrils brushed the ground.

“You need to get some rest before making any decisions like that.” Aster said softly. “It’s no one’s fault, really. These things happen.”

“They don’t happen here!” Jules said, unconvinced by Aster’s bland attempts at calming him. “I will have Learra whipped until she can tell me who he was.”

“You don’t mean that.” Aster said. “Yes, she is not meant for a management position but that is . . .”

“That poor girl.” Jules said. His voice had a hitch in it like he wanted to cry.

Aster pulled him closer and wrapped her shawl around the both of them. “The doctor is seeing her. There, there. I know she is a favorite of yours . . .”

“That has nothing to do with it.” Jules said wearily.

“I know, I know. Shhh.” Aster said gently. “Do you want to take today off and stay here with me? I will tuck you in bed. Read you a story.”

Jules made a small sound that may have been a hysterical giggle.

“Sounds nice, doesn’t it?” Aster asked. “Then when you’ve had some rest –"

Jules lifted his head up and kissed Aster. When he pulled finally pulled away, leaving them both a bit breathless, he said simply. “I can’t.”

“The search, both of them, will go on without you.” Aster said. “We can talk about this,” she waved her hand in an all encompassing gesture. “situation, later when you are more clear minded. You need to sleep.”

“Kris has no interest in finding the man. Just a client who did more then he paid for, as far as she’s concerned. Especially now, with her head full of worry about what happened to that stupid fortune teller.” Jules said. “Maybe under normal circumstances, but now . . .

“Then the two of us will find him. He’ll probably try to come back, they always do.” Aster said.

“You always know the right thing to say. Why is that?” Jules got his arms free from under the shawl and pulled the much smaller Aster half on his lap. “Is it because I’m just another client to you?”

“Of course not.” Aster said. “You’ve never paid me.” She winked at him, a sly smile on her lips.

Jules laughed, although the end trailed off in a not terribly happy sound. “I guess I owe you then, don’t I? Quite the debt.”

“I’ll put it on your tab.” Aster said.

Jules leaned in for another kiss, and as he did so a gust of wind blew the clothes hard to the left, leaving Prin and Elwin suddenly exposed.

Jules stood up quickly with a glare, all of the softening Aster had done, like gradually melting a freezing cold stick of butter, hardened immediately. Aster was tossed to the ground and sat there for a moment perhaps trying to stay out of his way.

“Forget about just Learra, I think all of you deserve a whipping.” He spoke to Aster, while looking directly at Elwin and Prin who were frozen in place like statues.

Jules grabbed Aster’s arm and roughly pulled her up into a standing position. “Hurry up and get to work, I expect you to pick up the slack since we’re down a girl.” He snarled.

Jules began to stomp away but turned and hollered over his shoulder. “And brush your hair, you look disgusting!”

“Geeze, had to add in that last part?” Aster said with a wry smile.

Once he was gone, she turned to Elwin and Prin. The sun picked out strands of gold from her hair, which was beautiful even unbrushed, and her eyes were wide with nervous excitement. “Hiya boys! Did you know we have a murderer loose on the island, possibly two?”