“Are you going on a date with Chef Jildarin?” Zalani asked, pausing before heading back to retrieve drinks.
“Yes, and so are you.” Rylana handed one of the tickets to her. She would offer the other one to Mya. Shewasn’tgoing to take Rolf. Gniknik might deserve to go, but he would probably prefer an invitation to a venue filled with mechanical constructs rather than elven acrobats.
“That should be interesting.” Zalani smirked and accepted the ticket.
“I expect so.”
EPILOGUE
From the rooftopof the coffee shop, Rylana and Sylin had a view of the lake as night settled over Tranquility. When the moon and stars came out, so did the glows of the aquatic life in the water.
“That’s encouraging,” Rylana said as she sat in the sole chair at the sole table that seemed to be on the rooftop entirely for Sylin’s use. She, of course, leaned her shoulder against the chimney instead of using the seat.
“The view is much more magical when the lake is glowing.” Sylin sipped from a cup of black coffee.
Rylana had gotten only a small mocha, as she looked forward to sleeping that night. Sleeping long and hard. She’d dozed for a bit between the lunch and dinner services, but, as news that the curse had been lifted spread, more and more customers had returned to the diner, so there hadn’t been much of a lull.
“It is,” Rylana agreed. “You shouldn’t linger in the area though.”
“As we’ve established.” Sylin lifted her cup in acknowledgment but made no move to depart.
“You’re not going to spend the night in Mya’s attic, are you?”
“Better for both of us if you don’t know, though it does sound like the elves are pleased with you and might not drag you to the enclave for questioning this week.”
“Yes.” It didn’t surprise Rylana that Sylin had been close enough to hear her conversation with the elf captain. “It’s not fair though.Youhelped out with everything, yet they’re still suspicious of you.”
“I do appreciate you trying to tell the elves that.”
“They’re determined to believe you’re a threat to their queen.”
“Beliefs are powerful things, not easily altered once the plaster sets.”
“Are we still talking about the elves,” Rylana asked, “or does that comment apply to the new god and Vormalt’s ambitions?”
“I gauge it unlikely his accusations would have changed anything for the general populace even if hehadblathered them all over town.”
“I think he was counting on the curse of the troll gods adding weight to what he said.” Rylana wondered if the peacekeepers had caught up with Vormalt yet. Once she’d had a good night’s sleep, she would try to find out. “Itdidseem like the old gods—those particular old gods, anyway—were irked that their followers had forgotten their ways and embraced another deity, whether real or not.”
Sylin sipped from her cup. “They mostly seemed irked that nobody was making them bread.”
“True.”
They drank in companionable silence for a time until a soft call came from the alley.
“Rylana,” Jildarin said from the bottom of the ladder. “I require your presence.”
“For what?” Rylana was tired and didn’t want to do anything else resembling work until she’d slept for many, many hours.
“You will walk with me to the lake to observe the glowing aquatic life.”
“Interesting.” Sylin sipped from her cup. “I think he’s asking you on a date.”
Rylana shook her head, though shewishedJildarin would want to go out with her. Maybe it was silly, but she looked forward to attending the elven ballet with him. “You’re mistaken. Herequiresmy presence. That’s not how men ask women out.”
“He’s inexperienced, right? He may not know better.” Sylin raised her voice to call, “If you want Rylana to accompany you on a social activity, it would be appropriate for you torequesther presence.”
A silent moment passed as Jildarin presumably digested that. “You will not bring the elf,” was what he ultimately called up.
