“When will these stalls be finished? The fair is tomorrow and everything must be completed tonight for the vendors! And will someone please remove those ducks before they cover everything in their filth!”

  The final preparations for the fair surrounded Lady Shian in all her inglorious fury. She stood at the head of the four long rows of stalls, each with a wide aisle between them. Her cheeks were red and her eyes flashed with a dangerous blue light.

  One of the earthly carpenters hurried up to Her Ladyship and clasped his hands together against his front before he bowed low to her. “Lady Shian, we need more wood to complete the last of the stalls.”

  She quivered with rage and his words earned him a horrible scowl that marred her beautiful features. “Why is that? You were given a mountain of boards.”

  The man hardly lifted his head as he gestured to a half dozen half-finished stalls at the far end closest to the pond. Many were missing roofs and a few had only one of two walls. Three workmen were busy finishing them as best they could. “But they weren’t enough, as Her Ladyship can see.”

  She stabbed a finger at a pile of cut wood. “I see nothing but a waste of wood.”

  He turned his head far enough to understand where she pointed. “Those are the ends of boards we have already cut, Your Ladyship. They aren’t long enough to be used to finish the roofs.”

  Her lips twisted about until they settled for a deep frown. “Very well.” She waved her hand and icy blue strands of magic floated out of her palm. They formed a slip of paper which she pushed toward him. The man grasped the floating parchment in both hands and gaped at the created item. “This is a voucher for wood. The woodsman will give you what you need but you must ensure you are given the very best boards.”

  The man bobbed his head and walked backward. “Yes, Your Ladyship. I’ll do this right away.” He turned tail and scurried off to fetch the wood.

  Shian sneered at his retreating backside. Her fury was interrupted by a sudden soft push against the back of her leg. The goddess’ leg buckled and she stumbled forward, but she caught herself before she landed on the ground. She spun around to face her attacker.

  A duck stared back at her. The animal turned its head to one side and let out a quack.

  Shian balled her hands into quivering fists and stomped her foot. “Will no one rid me of these horrible creatures?”

  “They’re just ducks,” one of the workmen spoke up.

  Shian spun around to face the men. They all turned their faces away and resumed their task. She stomped over to them and stabbed a finger at the animal. “Remove that animal immediately!”

  The men shrank into themselves and barely dared a sideways look at her. One of them cleared his throat. “I don’t think we can, Your Ladyship.”

  “If one of you is bold enough to speak up then you must be bold enough to catch such a creature!” she snapped.

  The men looked at each other and their speaker finally held up his hammer. “But if we try to catch the duck then who’ll finish this work?”

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  Shian wracked her brain for a good reply but she came up empty. “Fine! Then I will do it myself!”

  She spun on her heels and marched toward the duck. The men paused in their work and watched the imperious goddess face off against the indifferent creature. The animal hardly gave her a side-eye as it nibbled on some long bits of grass.

  Shian raised her arm in front of her and drew her hand back toward her chest. Light blue strands of magic appeared from her hand and swirled about before she pushed them toward the animal. The magic flew underneath the duck and swept across the descending ground to the pond, creating a long slender path of ice that shimmered in the bright sun.

  The slick crystals solidified beneath the feet of the duck and its webbed digits couldn’t get a grip on the slick surface. The duck let out a horrified quack as it spread its wings and tap danced on the ice for a few numbers before it lost its balance. The poor creature crashed chin-first onto the ice and slid backward, its beady eyes showing pure terror as the earth slipped away beneath it. The duck was propelled down the slide and flew off the slightly upwardly tilted end. It arced into the air and flapped its wings in a futile attempt to gain its balance before it made a terrific splashdown in the pond.

  Shian brushed her hands together and gave a nod toward the water before she turned back to the workmen. They stood there in a stupor, their eyes fixed on the duck as it bobbed up out of the water. The mistress of the fair crossed her arms over her chest and glared at them. “Well? Why have you stopped working?”

  The men shook themselves of their shock and tried to make up for lost time by working overtime. Shian clasped her hands behind her and smiled as she sauntered past them toward the entrance and its shocking barrier. The icy slide melted as quickly as if a hairdryer hung over the whole length. Only a little puddle remained after a few seconds and even that vanished in the blink of one of the workmen’s eyes.

  “Lady Shian! Lady Shian!”

  The shout came from the entrance where Pampir stood on the other side of the barrier. He pressed his hand against the top of one of the ropes and the slender ribbon trembled before all three levels retracted. He slipped through the opening and the ribbons shot back into position quicker than even the shrinking puddle.

  Pampir clutched the book of vendors in one hand against his chest and scurried up to her with a slightly pale face. “Lady Shian, I must speak with you about the vendor list.”

  Lady Shian lifted an eyebrow and her good humor sank away. “Why? Are some of them unable to come?”

  He shook his head. “No, but I have spoken with nearly all the other vendors and they know nothing of anyone selling such beans as the, um, gentleman we spoke with at the last.”

  Shian tensed and she scowled at the man. “You doubt my choice?”

  Pampir’s eyes widened and he bowed his head. “N-no, Lady Shian! I only wish to inform you of what I have learned so you may make the best possible decision!”

  Her voice was as icy as her element. “And that is?”

  He risked raising his eyes to her though his head remained bowed. His hand tightened its grip on the book. “That you will remove his ribbon and not allow him entrance.”

  Shian’s left hand twitched at her side and her eyes flashed with blue fury. “I will do no such thing and we will not discuss this matter again. Is that understood?”

  Pampir dropped his gaze to the ground and bit his tongue. “Completely.”

  “Good. Now how are the merchant preparations going?” she inquired.

  “Nearly all of them have completed their setup,” he told her as he nodded in the direction of the fairway. “Those left are waiting for the stalls to be finished.”

  “Excellent. If that is all then you may leave for the day, but I expect you back here early tomorrow.”

  Pampir nodded and reluctantly turned away. He walked back to the entrance with a heavy weight on his shoulders and the book pressed tightly against himself. What has gotten into Lady Shian? She has been bewitched by that person’s sweet words!

  Shian set a hand over her pocket as she watched him leave. She could feel the slim shape of the bean beneath her fingers. The same tempting thought that had haunted her mind rose once more but she pushed it back down again.

  Not yet she thought as she half-turned to cast her gaze over the fair. Maybe after the fair.