Zhara by S. Jae-Jones EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Author: S. Jae-Jones
- Language: English
- Genre: Epic Fantasy
- Format: PDF/ EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
THE RENT WAS DUE, RODENTS HAD GOTTEN into the rice, and Zhara had just
dumped a bag of salt into the custard filling.
“Mother of Demons!” she swore, trying in vain to scoop the excess out
of the mixing bowl with her fingers. Bits of beaten egg and flour spattered
an open book propped up on the counter and Zhara yelped, frantically
wiping at the mess with her sleeve. “No, no, no, no, no, no,” she moaned,
dabbing at the stains. “Master Cao is going to kill me.”
On the pantry shelves above her, a small, scruffy ginger cat gave an
amused snort from his perch.
“Hush, Sajah,” Zhara said irritably, struggling to get the page to lie flat.
Over the years, the little bookseller down in the Pits had allowed Zhara to
borrow as many titles from him as she liked, providing she returned them
all in perfect condition. “The Maiden Who Was Loved by Death,” she said
mournfully, smoothing down the cover. “And the next volume comes out
today.”
The Maiden Who Was Loved by Death was the most popular romance
serial in the Morning Realms—so popular that Master Cao and his
scriveners could scarcely keep up with demand each time an installment
was released. There were only so many copies a person could write out by
hand, so each little paperback volume was worth a premium. One Zhara
could not afford.
Prrrrt, said the cat, the tiny bell about his neck jingling as he jumped
from his perch to nose at the coin purse tied at her waist.
“I know, I know.” Zhara weighed the purse in her palm. Their coffers
were rather empty of late, with every spare coin going to the astrologer, the
aesthetician, the dressmaker, and the matchmaker in the hopes of securing a
good marriage for her little sister, Suzhan. Nearly all the wages Zhara
earned as an apothecary’s assistant disappeared into their ever-growing pile
of debts, but every month she managed to save a few coins for herself and
her small but growing collection of secondhand romance novels. Just
enough for a harmless little treat every now and again.
Not enough to make her stepmother suspicious.
Zhara counted the coins, glancing at her threadbare slippers beside the
kitchen threshold. She desperately needed a new pair, but she figured she
could fix the stitching herself and pay Master Cao back. A new book cost
more than two pairs of shoes from the cobbler down by the docks. Reading
was a luxury, and one she could not often afford.
Miaow, Sajah said, batting at the bowl of salted custard filling.
“Blast.” Zhara winced. “The custard buns.” She had hoped she could
tempt Suzhan into eating something—anything—before meeting her future
husband at the matchmaker’s later that morning. Nerves dwindled her
sister’s appetite to nothing, and Suzhan needed all the strength she could
get.
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