"We wanted to go see Erindil again. Korl thought it would be better to arrange a proper time for him to meet you rather than leaving it to chance."
Korl nodded earnestly. "I didn't think you'd want to be surprised by a relative you’ve never met appearing in the middle of the festival."
Lira’s pinched expression softened. "That was very thoughtful of you. I was worried about exactly that scenario." She glanced around at the last villagers meandering along the road. "Since I haven't seen any mysterious elves wandering around tonight, I assume he agreed to wait to meet me properly?"
Korl and Val exchanged one of those loaded looks that made Sass's stomach drop. The ring on her finger prickled more intensely, as if responding to the look itself.
Korl frowned as he spoke. "He wasn't there.”
“The entire campsite was empty, and it looked like they'd left in a hurry,” Val added.
Lira's face fell. "He left without meeting me? But why would he go to all the trouble of buying me a tavern, returning to talk to me, and then leaving before we could even meet?”
Korl stepped forward and took her hand in his massive ones, his voice gentle but firm. "Val and I did a thorough search of the area. We don't think Erindil packed up and left voluntarily."
Val shook her head grimly. "The way they left the campsite, I'd say they were chased off. Hastily abandoned meals, scattered belongings, lavender feathers floating in the air. Ernidil was way too priss…I mean proper, to leave like that.”
Korl glanced furtively at Sass. “And based on the tracks we found, there's strong evidence that dwarves are the reason they left.”
Thrain jumped to his feet with such haste that he nearly knocked over the bottle of apple brandy, while Vaskel's entire body went rigid. Fear made Sass go cold all over, and she had to lean heavily on the table to keep from falling as her knees threatened togive out. The ring was prickling insistently now, and she wanted to rip the hot metal off her finger.
Rog produced a wicked-looking dagger from seemingly nowhere and let out a gravelly chuckle. “I don't know what this is all about, but it sounds like I got here just in time for our crew to take care of business again."
Thirty-One
Sass pushedthrough the kitchen doors with an empty basket, grateful that the festival was over. Despite the unexpected arrival of Rog and Rosie, the event had been a success for everyone. All the apple crumble bars had been sold, every drop of spicy chai had been consumed, and the villagers had enjoyed playing games and celebrating the end of the warm season and the coming of cooler weather. Even Sass, who’d fled frigid lands, was eagerly anticipating the cozier season with its roaring fires, hot apple cider, and more pumpkin delicacies baked by Pip.
In the corner of the counter, Crumpet stirred from his makeshift bed of Lira's softest dishcloths. The flutterstoat lifted his head sleepily, his whiskers twitching. Instead of chittering at the intrusion, he simply curled into a tighter ball, tucking his white tail around himself like a fluffy stole and drifting back to sleep.
"Sorry, Crump," Lira whispered as she entered behind Sass and set another empty basket on the wooden worktable. "Didn't mean to wake you."
Sass almost laughed at the tender way Lira addressed the magical creature, but the sound caught in her throat as she gazed atCrumpet. Was she jealous of his peaceful sleep and simple existence?
“We can leave all the clean-up until tomorrow,” Lira said as she turned to leave the kitchen and then paused, glancing back at Sass. “You okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? I only have a band of dwarves searching for me so they can force me to return home.”
"We won't let that happen," Lira said firmly as she wrapped Sass in a tight hug. "I promise you that."
Sass felt some of the tension leave her shoulders, but she couldn't silence the voice of doubt that had been her constant companion since Thrain's arrival. "You don't know Florin," she said, her words muffled against Lira's shoulder. "You don't know what she's capable of when someone crosses her."
Lira pulled back, keeping her hands on Sass's shoulders and holding her at arm's length. "Florin hasn't dealt with my crew before," she said, and there was steel in her voice that reminded Sass that her friend had once been a rogue who'd roamed The Known Lands and operated on the dangerous fringes of society. "The crew I ran with is my family. Now you're part of that, and no one messes with our family."
The happiness that fizzed through Sass's chest at those words was almost overwhelming, but before she could respond, Lira's fierce expression morphed into a grin that transformed her entire face. "Besides, you've got lots of bodyguards tonight. Even a band of dwarves won't be able to get through all of us."
Sass blinked. "What do you mean?"
Lira's grin widened, and she looked like a Tabaxi who’d lapped up all the cream. "Korl and Val are insisting on staying at The Tusk & Tail tonight. Vaskel and Cali too. The whole lot of them are determined to keep watch." She reached up and tucked a wayward curl behind Sass's ear with gentle fingers. "And I'm going to share our room with you again, if you'll have me."
Sass opened her mouth to protest, to say that it wasn't necessary,that she couldn't ask her friends to put themselves at risk for her troubles. But all she could manage was to swallow hard against the unexpected surge of emotion and nod mutely.
The kitchen doors swung open, and Thrain shouldered his way into the room carrying a tray laden with empty chai mugs, their ceramic lips bearing the traces of spiced tea. He set the tray down on the worktable with a clunk. "We're going to need a few more blankets for everyone bedding down in the great room tonight.”
Then he strode from the kitchen as briskly as he’d entered, and Sass followed the dwarf back through the swinging doors and into the tavern's great room. What she saw made her stop short and press a hand to her heart, though for the first time since Korl and Val had returned, the magical ring on her finger was quiet.
The great room looked more like a campsite than a tavern. Blankets and cushions sprawled around the hearth, while Vaskel pushed tables aside and pulled benches closer to the fire. Korl’s broad shoulders were bunched under his leather armor as he fed chunks of peat into the flames while Val stoked the fire with an iron poker, sending sparks dancing up the chimney.
“Hells and cinders,” Sass murmured, watching as her friends settled themselves around the hearth as if they were taking up posts.
