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Plus, I’d waited months for this bazaar. I wasn’t missing it for a rogue chicken.

The sounds of lively music and the scent of food had me picking my pace up. This was one of the few nights of the year where we got to experience life and be free. It brought new life and fresh faces to our cursed little town.

“Oh, wow,” Merrick breathed out, just as enthralled as I was by the giant tent that spread out over the booths, keeping the sun from beaming down on us all. The magistrate had enchanted fans blowing air in and keeping the temperature pleasant.

That only had the scents swirling around us more. Thankfully, the food and herbs drowned out the mixed natural scents of the crowd.

“Where do we start?” Rook asked, glancing around.

“Over there,” I said, already spotting my favorite trader. Oscar traveled most of the year and bought and traded his trinkets in a constant cycle.

“There’s my favorite cursed witch,” he called out when I approached. His long, white hair hung down in waves, tucked under a pointed hat. Every outfit was eccentric and colorful and stood out stark against his too-pale skin.

“Hey, Oscar. Tell me you have something good for me this year,” I said with a wide smile. He returned it with a flash of fangs.

“Don’t I always?” he laughed, waving his hand at the stocked tables surrounding him. I dove right into browsing through the items laid out.

The first table was full of bottles in all shapes and sizes, liquids or dried herbs tucked inside. I carefully read through each one and picked up several. Oscar took them from my hands each time I did, starting a pile up at his cash box.

I could feel my mates watching over me but neither had stepped closer as I browsed. When I picked up a bottle to find the exact rare herb I needed, I nearly screamed. Thankfully, I kept my mouth shut as Oscar took it with a wink.

He always said he had exactly what his customers needed, but I never thought he’d find this. Rook stepped closer as if he could already read my body language. He brushed his hand along my lower back before finally looking at what Oscar had on hand.

With shaking hands I moved on to the other tables. These were more odds and ends, random trinkets and baubles.

Then I saw it.

Right there on the table was a small hand mirror. It was a pretty polished gold, the intricate designs adorning the outside inlaid with sparkling stones. Even the glass was gleaming and something urged me forward.

The mirror was in my hands before I could even make a conscious thought.

“I thought that might jump out at you,” Oscar mused, a knowing grin on his face. “Is that all for you, little witch?”

“Yes,” I said, forcibly tearing my eyes away to focus on the alpha who was taking the mirror from my hands.

“Are you alright?” Merrick asked. I hadn’t even heard him move closer.

I nodded my head and shook off the strange feeling long enough to pay Oscar for my finds. Now that it was wrapped in paper and tucked away in a bag, my head cleared.

Maybe buying what was obviously a cursed object was a bad idea, but I couldn’t make myself leave it behind.

For better or worse, this mirror was mine.

With the goodies paid for and bagged up, we headed to check on Blake. We’d already been gone a while and I knew the booths would only get more crazy as the morning dragged on.

After a few years of working the bazaar together, we figured out that keeping a bin under the table for our finds was more convenient than running back and forth to our shop or houses.

When we packed up for the night, we could simply grab what we wanted and take it home then.

Blake had a smile on her face as we approached, but couldn’t say anything as she showed a few customers around the table, answering questions and bargaining prices.

I tucked my treasures away, though I was reluctant to part with my mirror. That strange feeling of needing it in my hands hadn’t faded away completely.

When the customers moved onto the next booth, Blake sat down next to me. “So, did you find everything you needed?”

“I think so. And a few extras,” I admitted with a chuckle.

“Like always. Last year, we had to lug back two bins worth of goods,” she reminded me. “I have an extra in my car.”