Page 6 of The Nowhere Witch

“You did?” the employee asked.

“Yes,” Gilli said, nodding. “He’s going to start next week. I would’ve swiped you up in a second if I’d known.”

The employee was staring at Gilli, and then at the ceiling, as if trying to remember something. The furrow on her forehead might as well have been shaped like a question mark before her mouth turned into an O.

“It’s fine. Not a big deal. Thanks anyway. And thanks for the cocoa. I just love this place, so I thought I’d stop here first and see.” It was all true. I did love this place, or had. Right now, I was feeling like I’d just found out the boy I was crushing on, who I’d thought was crushing on me back, thought I was frumpy and smelled.

Gilli looked to me and then her employee before looking back at me, as if at a loss for words. The situation had gone from optimistic, to awkward, to one of those dreams where you lost your pants and everyone was staring at you. Since her employee was afraid to talk, and Gilli was struggling with words as well, I was left to fill the growing stretch of silence as we stared uncomfortably at each other.

I took a step back. “But like I said, it’s not a big deal. I’ve got a long list of places I’m going to stop in.”

Something about that last bit made her look like I’d just slammed her fingers in a car door.

“Okay, so I really have to get going. Busy day ahead of me.”

Gilli forced a smile. I forced one back and then got out of there. At least I had a cocoa to soothe the hurt a bit. She hadn’t wanted me, and she clearly neededsomeone. Was it my reputation? The wall? The dragon incident? The grouslies? What had I done so wrong that I’d scared her off?

It didn’t matter. There were plenty of other places to work in Xest, and one of them would be looking for help—and maybe desperate enough to hire me.

The butcher shop next. I’d never met them, or had anything to do with them. Maybe they wouldn’t know who I was. Maybe they hadn’t seen whatever picture or billboard that had my face plastered on it.

Swinging the door open with confidence, I was immediately greeted with a sneer from the man behind the counter. I didn’t bother saying a word before turning around and leaving. Definitely a nonstarter.

The next stop was the Stationery and Sundries. The owner there had been a nosy sort, but his weird cat-bird had liked me. Maybe he’d be of the nodding variety? I needed some nodding shop owners right now.

I walked in, and the older man who owned the shop lifted his head, giving me a slight nod. “I heard you were back.”

No sneer. It was safe.

“Yep, it’s me. I’m back.” Bassy, his cat-bird pet, leapt onto the shelf next to my shoulder, purred loudly, and began butting his head up against me.

“So, what can I do for you?” His eyes were taking in his cat-bird and then me, as if I were hypnotizing the thing or something.

Could I really work for him? Was I desperate enough to have him eyeing me up all day long? It wasn’t as if he’d leave me be. He’d grill me from morning to night. He’d want to know everything I was doing. That’s the type he was. I remembered clearly how he’d questioned me the first time I came here, his stare thick with suspicion, and that was before everything that had happened.

Although he wasn’t grilling me yet.

And yes, I was that desperate.

“I was wondering if you could use some help around here? Or maybe a…” Couldn’t call Bassy a cat. That might be insulting. Not a good way to ask for a job. “A sitter?”

“No, I’m just a one-man show. Never had any help and don’t need it now,” he said as he continued staring at me as if I’d cast a spell on him.

“Well, if you change your mind, you can always send me a newsflash.”

He nodded, this one half as friendly as the last. Time to make my exit. Bassy was about to leap onto my shoulders if I didn’t get out of there soon.

The restaurant Hawk had brought me to was next. I knew they didn’t like me, but it was right here, and I was going to stop everywhere. I couldn’t be sure if they’d sneer until I tried.

One step inside and a roomful of sneers met me. I turned right around. Even if the owner would hire me, that might’ve been a little too hostile an environment to handle.

I crossed the street to the shop I’d bought Rabbit an outfit in on her last day in Xest, hoping there might be some goodwill.

The store owner nodded at me. “Can I help you? Are you looking for anything in particular?”

“I was wondering if you were looking for a sales clerk or had any positions open?”

Her lips parted as her eyes darted to the door before returning to me. I could see right where this was headed and was determined to turn this ship around. Was it because I was an outsider?