AKSHARA CAME BACK AFTER the sun went down and all the other merchants had packed up for the day. Lio was all packed up, and ready to go. He gestured for Akshara to grab some pots and follow him. They only went a short distance to his house and put the pots in his back room. They went back for the rest and cleaned up in silence. When they made their final trip back to his house, he looked all around. A few people were out walking in the area, so he gestured for Akshara to follow him into the house.
Lio’s house was bigger than most in the city, but not too extravagant. He had clearly done well for himself in the spice trade and was now using his good fortune to reunite those who missed her with the goddess they had lost.
Lio’s much younger wife was in a room to the side of the main space,
