THE ROOT OF DARKNESS

apidly realizes the situation. The strange, shifty man is a thief.

wn at the s

e se

gs to the King. If they be so precious, why did he stea

it into my rougher satchel, alo

claims if so many royal guards are in desperate pursuit. Then, I

t, and we have nothing else to sell. Our co

aint me as a reckless, gullible young lad. But I have no choice

e marketplace where Adam waits. The hot sun beats down against my face as I

ca

da

a broad smile as he hurries over to meet me. Hi

t today, and I plan to sell the trinket and buy some good, f

But you should keep all the cop

t or borrow around the marketplace. However, his two sisters are v

ure not to take a share of his earnings. Unless there's plenty to go ro

ome copper pieces

ce the satchel and the five copper pieces

in the s

her side of the market, trying to sell a donkey for my aunt when a man

me a incred

bably some green beans! Your aunt definitely would not get her money's worth from that. No r

I heard it from the castle guards myself. They were chasing after

hand on my shoulder. He looks

stole from the King? Something magical and precious? It must have taken him migh

But leaving the seeds with you would defeat his entire point of stealing them, so he gave you ordinary se

wish I had been there with you. I trick people too, so

dam could be right. It feels me with a downcast feeling

got five cop

step into the musty embr

inting news. She looks a little stronger than she was yesterday, as she i

nostrils as I step closer. She looks up at me, hurriedl

appears in her tire

reckon you must have gotten

arsed on the way back from the market seems to vanish into thin air. So I

The man said if we plant these seeds,

neven surface of the table. The satchel is open, and her eyes peer in

ks one question in a very quiet voice.

or five copper pieces,

st green beans,

Ja

is raised, yet the effort it takes from her makes the tendons

we only need 30 copper pieces, and n

to make the situati

y for his journey out of the kingdom. He was unwilling to part with these ma

ng back at the ta

not, he would have gone for a horse

swer, witho

ide, near the bed of tomatoes. Hopeful

fast Aunt accepts the situation.

r hand towards me. I crouch down, so

I am glad you helped out a sick man. With these five copper pieces, we can pe

esp

I will per

Crouching next to the bed of tomatoes, I dig out a shallow hole in the soil. I e

l it is covered. Straightening up to my feet, I spray

o fill our hungry stomachs." I say to the

ge walls. A section of the old cottage roof is also coming apart, so I cl

tch an early night's sleep. Tomorrow, I plan to do as many jobs I can find

e, I find myself thinkin