Let the Gardnerians try to come here and enslave me again, Sparrow thinks as she takes in the blade’s reflection as well as her decadently rebellious appearance. I’ll go down fighting and take quite a few of them with me.

“Ah, Little Bird, you are a complete vision.”

Mii Vun, the shoppe’s proprietress and Sparrow’s sponsor here, edges into the mirror’s reflection. The kind Noi woman’s white hair is styled in looping braids, violets woven through them, embroidered violets dotting her lavender silken tunic and pants.

“Everyone’s talking about you, Sparrow!” young Fyya Lo gushes as she shoulders into the reflection’s other side. The young apprentice seamstress rests her pointed chin on Sparrow’s shoulder, an impish grin on her pretty face. “Those clothing sketches you put together...you’ve become a star overnight!”

Gratitude sweeps through Sparrow as she moves to the side to better take in Fyya Lo’s beautiful reflection, her Xishlon garb a resplendent vision that Sparrow helped fashion, Fyya Lo’s dark hair festooned with glass orbs filled with violet rune light, her velvet dress such a lush, dark violet it’s almost black. A bright lavender moon is embroidered over the young seamstress’s torso, the Vo river and its rippling purple reflection embroidered down the dress’s slim skirt.

“I have something rather delicious to tell you,” Fyya Lo croons, taking Sparrow’s hands in hers. Her vivacious tone turns confiding. “Syr Vho wants to see you tonight.”

Sparrow remembers him well. The Noi architect. One of the city’s other young rising stars, who she met at the banquet Mii Vun held to support Noilaan’s most talented and up-and-coming designers.

“He’s clearly besotted,” Fyya Lo enthuses, unable to repress her grin. “I think he’s more than eager to give you your first Xishlon kiss.”

Defiance rears up in Sparrow. She knows full well what Fyya Lo is up to. She also realizes her response will be the equivalent of setting off a runic explosive in the middle of the elegant, floral-decorated shoppe.

“That’s a lovely compliment,” Sparrow says, forcing an even tone. “But I’ve decided to spend Xishlon night with Thierren Stone.”

Fyya Lo’s impish grin vanishes as Mii Vun’s dark eyes take on a grave light that cinches Sparrow’s heart with concern. They both know of her friendship with Thierren, but to spend Xishlon night with someone here in the East...

Sparrow knows that’s a whole other thing.