Episode One Hundred and Forty-Three: Book Club
“We have someone else coming in,” answered the Cat, as he continued to stare at the last section of roasted chicken sub.
I picked it up and put it on his plate.
“Alright, I’ll need to clean up from lunch and make myself a tea, but another customer should be good.”
Either way, it'd be a good distraction from the fact that I now needed to find some extra stockings, to ensure that everyone attending had one.
It didn’t take long for me to finish eating my sandwich and put the dishes in the sink. They didn’t stay there long, as Betty put them into the dishwasher automatically. I knew I didn’t even need to put them in the sink, but still, it felt like the polite thing to do.
Then once at the front counter, I snagged some fruity tea and brewed around 4 cups worth before putting it in a cute teapot that matched the Cat’s teacup. I hadn’t seen it before, but it was too cute to not use.
The Cat joined me at the counter and he gave the teapot a strange look.
“The afternoon might be quick, but it might not,” he said, distractedly.
“That’s so very helpful…”
He glared at me.
“I’m just saying…” I paused then. “Is there anyone else I should invite to the holiday for you?”
It was only after I said it that I realized I shouldn’t have asked the question. He didn’t have anyone who knew who he really was. There wasn’t anyone to ask to come.
He didn’t say anything, just glanced at the door away from me.
“I’m sorry if that was insensitive. I only want the holiday to be good for you as well.”
The Cat nodded, which always felt strange, but didn’t reply.
“I’m ready for whatever is next,” I said, hoping to dissipate how awkward I felt.
The bells on the door jingled almost immediately, and I smiled. My face froze as a Cat-like being entered the shop, with the body of a lion and the face of a woman. A Sphinx; it had to be a sphinx. As it turned, the wings became apparent, tucked tightly against its body. A fluffy fur covered its body ending at the neck.
“Welcome to the Shop, how can I help you?” I asked in a cheerful voice. Though I hoped this wouldn’t be all riddles and puns, I did my best to be prepared.
The space hadn’t changed from earlier, which made sense given how massive the creature was. Only slightly bigger than the centaur from earlier, but still definitely bigger than our usual customers.
The sphinx turned and smiled at me, her teeth razor sharp though her eyes drew me in. They were an almost impossibly bright blue, with a golden iris. So freaking pretty.
“I am looking for a few books, and a break from the challengers.” Her voice came out in an almost singsong manner.
“Challengers?” I asked, trying to think what she meant.
“Ah, yes. Those who wish to reach the portal I protect.” She turned to face the bookshelves, her eyes wide. “When all who come to see you only want one thing, life gets a little boring.”
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I nodded, understanding how that could feel. Though, with the number of beings who came in looking for a really good book, part of me felt like I should start up a book club. Each quarter I could send out a new and interesting book for those who didn’t get out much.
“Do you get to take a break often?” I asked. I wanted to know more about this creature.
“Only when I have someone who can watch my spot.” She chuckled before I could ask. “It’s not often. Maybe every couple hundred years.”
“That’s horrible.” I couldn’t imagine being stuck in the same place for that long without anything to do. It reminded me of the Cat’s punishment. “Well, if you want any suggestions or have any series that you’ve been reading, I can search for the next book for you.”
She paused, and her head swiveled to watch me, like an owl.
“You can do that?”
“I can try my best.”
Next thing I knew, my pen flashed across my notepad of series names and various books she’d read. It might’ve been easier for me to create a profile on one of the reading sites to find books for her, but while she read a ton, most of it was old, very old. Still, some trends popped out. Romance with some fantasy was big. Especially if the woman was strong, and the main character.
I made a list of recommendations, and I knew we had at least one series on the shelves.
“This shouldn’t be hard,” I said with a grin. “I have this one in stock, but I can get more for you as well.”
“It might be a long time before I can pick them up,” she said with a frown.
“I might be able to solve that, but I need to ask a few people some things. Let me pull these off the shelves for now. Do you want a bag for them?”
“I have my own personal storage.”
I nodded and hustled around the counter, along with the Sphinx, careful to stay away from her tail which had a large stinger on it. I wasn’t sure if that was normal, but it didn’t matter. She wasn’t trying to do me any harm.
My excitement grew when I found the complete series on the shelves of all five books and snagged them, along with a separate trilogy she might enjoy.
“So, I found that series, plus a trilogy that you might want as well.” I set all eight books on the counter, then scooted back around. “Do you want me to grab more for you?”
“This should be good, I can’t stay gone for too long.” She smiled and purred. “Hopefully you find a way to get some more books to me.”
I rang her up and the register said it cost a favor.
“It says it costs a favor,” I said with a frown.
“That’s about right,” she nodded. “It’s an easy price to pay, only a small one.”
The books vanished off the counter and she slowly padded toward the door.
“You have been helpful, Keeper.” Then she was gone, the bells jingling in her wake.
I realized the Cat hadn’t said a word the entire time the Sphinx had shopped.
“Are you okay?” I asked, looking down at him by the register.
“Yes. Sphinx hate cats, as a rule.” He shook his fur out almost like a dog. “It’s better she didn’t notice me. Last time, she talked for ages and the Shopkeeper couldn’t get what she wanted.”
I sat on my stool and tapped my pen on the counter. The list of series in front of me was pretty long, but the idea of a book club stuck in my mind. So many of the different people who came in who wanted books couldn’t come in often, and it felt like a shame.
“Cat, is there anyone that does deliveries across the various worlds of the Tree?” I asked.
He turned to look at me with a frown.
“You’d need to find a Wanderer, but they are even harder to find than Travelers…”
“A Wanderer…” I said slowly, thinking of what I’d had read about them. “They can wander between worlds, and are protected by fate, right?”
“Something like that. Fate-touched, so people don’t mess with them, though not truly protected. They are often formidable in their own right, though.”
“Couldn’t Betty’s door just appear near the people who were members, and I hand the books out the door?”
The Cat blinked several times before answering. “The shop appears where it is needed. It’s not controllable.”
That was something to think about. I wasn’t sure, but it felt like we had been conveniently available several times unrelated to the missions of the Fates. Like when Alas had come by earlier.
“Was that all for today?” I asked, thinking of the stocking dilemma I had and putting the idea of a book club on the back burner.