Toni
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Episode One Hundred and Twenty-Five: Nymphs and Books
🕑 Added 2025-03-18 16:00:06 +0000 UTC“You can completely ignore me,” I said, trying to save the small green woman’s mood. “I’m just here if you want to buy anything.”
She blinked twice, then nodded. “Okay. I’ve just never seen anyone like you before.”
“Same, actually, but if you like books, this is the place.”
A wave of happiness came over her face again, and she stood back up, staring at the shelves. She took a few steps to the closest shelf and ran a finger down the spine of the cloth binding. Light green mist rose from the back of the book, but she didn’t seem to notice as she stepped to the right, still tracing titles.
I did my best to not stare at her as I sipped my coffee.
Bark covered her arms, and flowing moss made up the bulk of her clothing.
The cat rubbed himself along my arm, and I set my coffee mug down to pet him.
From each of the books she touched, a magical haze rose. Then she turned toward the genre shelves. The first one read ‘Stories,’ then I swore I saw an Urban Fantasy section and titles I totally recognized.
She squealed and started creating a small stack of books in her arms. Her stack reached five books, and she turned toward the counter, rushing over.
“I’m taking these,” she set them down, then bounced back to the shelves. This time she reluctantly pulled herself away from the Urban Fantasy section. These books were again cloth bound. After a couple of minutes, she headed back to the first bookshelf and grabbed two large tomes.
One caught my eye on the third bookshelf, with a faint golden outline. Yet, she headed back my way without stopping there. She set the two she’d selected on the counter.
“I think that’s it,” she peeked at me, then glanced at the Urban Fantasy books. “Are humans really like that outside of the stories?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to figure out the question.
“Warriors and mages, ready to save the world!”
I chuckled. “Some are, others like me are Shopkeepers in magical bookshops.”
“I’ve read so many human stories, whenever I can get my hands on the books that is..” She nodded slowly. “I bet you read about other people as well.”
“I do. I read all sorts of stories about dragons and Fey.” I tapped the cover of the book. “There’s nothing wrong with reading these books, though. All knowledge, all stories, are worthwhile.”
“I know,” she mumbled, glancing down at her hands. “But I feel like I need to keep broadening my horizons.”
Bingo.
“You know, there’s a book over there that is calling out to you, but you didn’t pick it up…”
“Really?” She glanced up, her eyes glowing.
“Third bookshelf.”
She raced in that direction, going directly to the book that glowed. “I’m not sure I have enough to pay for all of them. That’s why I left this one behind.”
“It’s on the house…”
The Cat coughed beside me.
“Sometimes you just gotta get a book.”
She pulled a bag out of nowhere, and set it next to the books.
I pulled the pile closer to the register and scanned the Urban Fantasy books, then the other cloth bound books popped up on their own. Though, the titles weren’t listed.
“This says, five gold,” I read off from the screen. I never knew how people were going to pay.
After placing five round golden tokens on the counter, I packed a bag up with all of her purchases and held it out to her.
“Hopefully, I see you again,” I said.
“Me too!” she said with a smile. “The last bookshop I found after wandering out of my woods was too far off in a different world. They didn’t have the Urban Fantasy books I wanted. Thankfully, you were at the perfect place.”
“We’re pretty good at that.”
She turned, then hesitated. “My name is Whisperleaf…”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sable, the Shopkeeper.”
Whisperleaf nodded and headed to the door, carrying her bag. She paused at the door, and turned to look at me. I felt like she used some sort of magic, but didn’t know what. Instead, she nodded again, and walked out.
“You shouldn’t give your name out like that,” mumbled the Cat, sniffing my mug.
“Did she mean any harm?” I asked, looking down at him before moving back to Betty and starting another round of drinks.
“Well, no, she can’t harm any other. Her kind is bound to their forests, so she doesn’t get to leave very often.”
“Then what was the problem?”
“The problem is, you didn’t know that,” he said, padding closer. “Please be careful. Names have power.”
I stared at the now closed door, trying to think how to describe what I’d felt.
“She didn’t feel dangerous.” I ground the beans before packing them, and pulling the espresso shots. I split them between the cat's teacup and my empty mug, then grabbed the milk. “She felt lonely.”
“Lonely?” asked the Cat.
“Yeah, lonely, and like books were her only friends. That’s why I gave her my name.”
The Cat didn’t respond, just watched as I finished making the coffee for both of us.
My journal appeared on the counter, and the Cat studied me as I grabbed a pen to detail what had happened.
Because that was magic. I’d seen it, and my magic had told me she needed that book. That it was important. I quickly wrote it down, then snapped the journal shut.
“So, what else is on the schedule today?”
The teacup was empty and the Cat was nowhere to be seen.
“Okay, that means shopping for gifts for the dragons.”
My laptop appeared on the counter, and I pulled up the online shopping store everyone used back home. A quick glance at the skyline showed that the sky was blue again. Hopefully, I had enough time to order something and get it shipped.
Maybe something funny.
The perfect idea came to me for Lord Bennett, from Indigo. I’d need to show her before she ‘gave’ it to him, but she’d love it. A smile covered my face as I placed the order, along with rush shipping.
