Zion walked quietly beside her, a steady shadow in the chaos. The cries of the merchants blended into a constant, almost musical rhythm.
She eventually stopped at a vegetable stall run by a middle-aged woman whose apron was stained with soil and sunlight. Bundles of fresh greens, long beans, carrots, onions, and a few unfamiliar roots were neatly arranged on the wooden shelves.
Kiara picked through them carefully, testing leaves between her fingers. "These are fresh."
The woman beamed. "My husband pulled them before sunrise."
Kiara made her selections while Zion silently took the growing basket from her. When she was done, the vendor tallied the total with quick fingers.
"Four silver and sixty copper."
Kiara offered a polite smile. "Would you take four silver?"
The woman laughed, warm but firm. "If I sold at that price, my children would starve by next week."
"Four silver and twenty?"
"Four and fifty."
"Four and twenty-five. Last."
