29: Abraxas's Wrath

He could feel Mr. Arroz watching him, and turned to shake the man’s hand. “Thank you for this opportunity.”

“If you do as well out here as you did creating that Spice of Life, I’ll have something special for you at the end of the shift,” Mr. Arroz promised, his eyes twinkling with excitement. He seem to come to a decision and turned, disappearing back into his shop, leaving Conor to manage the table.

Conor eyed the jars of spices and the small crowd that passed by. The pungent aroma wafted around him, a blend of the familiar and the exotic.

Families strolled by, some pausing to sniff curiously, others moving briskly toward GrizlHut or the arcade on the other side of the Spice Emporium. As the evening progressed, Conor enjoyed the pleasant interactions with the few patrons who stopped by, even managing to make a few sales.

Just as he was settling into the rhythm of the evening, a familiar head of brunette hair bobbed out of GrizlHut and headed in his direction.

“Conor?”

Conor turned to