ew days, Sylvia

a time. It didn't always work. Sometimes she heard nothing at all, just the usual noise of th

coins and worrying

losing their mot

ng her husband as they

d, but she started to notice patterns. The s

read and scraps she'd collected were long gone, and her

roasted chestnuts. The smells made her dizzy with hu

shining in the sunlight. The vendor was a large man with a t

ne the next stall over. Her fingers itched

eyes and focuse

ins. Someone will try to sho

need him to look away from

igging through her purse for change. The vendor leaned forw

the smallest apple she could

see if anyone noticed. When she rounded the corner and found he

much, but

the sweet juice running down her chin.

he stars. She still didn't understand her gift-if that's what it was-bu

that apple. Since then, she'd learned how much easier

urviving anymore.

oking woman had stopped her outside the marketplace, asking if she was lost. Sy

stray right now. Please

e woman had any food to spare. If her hunch was right, that should be enough to

a dollar bill. Sylvia had been stunned at how simple it was. She had

d the power she held. People's thoughts weren

market, her eyes fixed on a man counting cash n

the change back before

nto him just as he handed over

is cash again. Sylvia slipped a handful of coins f

e not

t words could coax a stranger into giving her their leftovers. A tear in her eye and a fake story co

less. Poor thin

harmless. N

did. But pride didn't fill her s

with a few coins and an energy bar

oul-bonding thing?" one o

love thing people

p. She leaned closer,

truly in love-like, soulmates-they can hear eac

ughed. "Sounds lik

't sound like nonsense. I

inued. "Both people have to feel it. Real love, they say.

a couldn't stop thinkin

be what her

ad minds. And if soul-bonding was supposed to take time a

need the other person to know she existed. All it took was an

stars. Whatever she had, it wasn't soul-bonding. It was

e with a new sense of confidence. She didn't know wh

ned the crowd. A vendor glanced her way, frowning. Sylvi

that one. She lo

Trouble? She cou