Page 71 of Wanted: Rogues and Bards

“I would love to learn!” Maxie chimed in, making Fenric want to groan. The world would not be safe if Maxie learned to harness his cuteness for evil.

Lirion grabbed Maxie by the shoulders, turned him, and ushered him down and into the galley, Fenric and Malfas trailing behind them.

A good portion of the galley was not only the kitchen, but a long table for them to eat at, play games on, and enjoy during their downtime. It gave Fenric the perfect place to perch with Lirion as Maxie and Malfas went into the kitchen area.

“Now, what shall we attempt to make?” Malfas inquired while Lirion and Fenric took seats at the long table.

“I could go for a nice apple cobbler,” Lirion suggested with a smile.

“Oooh,” Fenric murmured, taste buds already behind this plan. “I haven’t had a cobbler in a dog’s age.”

“I know an easy recipe. Lazy man’s cobbler, that’s what I call it. You slice and dump all the ingredients into a pan. I figured this was the easiest recipe to try him on,” Lirion said.

“A cobbler sounds good, and we have a nice supply of apples, though it is a shame we don’t have any fresh peaches because there is nothing finer in the world than a lovely peach cobbler,” Malfas said without needing to breathe.

Maxie picked up an apple from the basket and frowned. “But now I’m going to mess it up and there won’t be cobbler.”

Malfas smiled and patted the young man’s shoulder. “Oh, I think we’ll find the result before you can mess up the cobbler altogether. I’ll save and finish it, I promise.”

Lirion quickly listed out the ingredients needed for the cobbler, along with the necessary measurements. It was a simple enough recipe; even Fenric felt he could replicate it. With a nod, Maxie placed the apple on the cutting board and started to slowly chop. He still wore a frown, as if he weren’t entirely convinced they could stop him from creating poison yet again.

“Alchemist, you said.” Lirion eyed Malfas, who was watching each of Maxie’s movements like a hawk.

“That is the conclusion Hapi and I have come to. Alchemists and artificers are roughly from the same branch of magic and are often seen as the kissing cousins of sorcerers, if you can believe it. All three have a source based from deep within them, whereas warlocks gather their magical powers from an outside source, such as I have with Ezlan. However, where sorcerers’ magic can present itself in many wild and sometimes chaotic forms, both alchemists and artificers have a much narrower range. For artificers, their magic is borne out through the mechanisms and technical doodads they create.”

Fenric snorted. “Is that a technical magic term? Doodad?”

Malfas sniffed at the interruption while Maxie giggled, finally putting a smile back on his lips.

“It is a very technical term, but I wouldn’t expect a magical moron like you, Rogue, to understand it,” Malfas mocked, then returned to his dissertation on magic without missing a beat. “For alchemists, their magic presents itself in the form of potions, tonics, pills, and a few other creations. However, Puppy is unique in that it seems he can only create poison, and it manifests when he’s cooking. The range for the alchemists I’ve spoken with and read about is never so small. However, I theorize because Maxie is so young, his magic is still blossoming. In addition, he has had no formal training to help him direct his powers into productive, controlled means. It is very possible he could learn to make far more than poisons. Everyone knows that in many cases, the difference between something that heals and something that poisons is a razor-thin edge.”

“But even if Puppy’s magical skills don’t extend beyond poison, he still has an incredibly valuable ability. Something he could use to make a damn good living,” Fenric cut in, hoping to cushion any future disappointment Maxie might feel if he couldn’t learn to make healing potions.

The young man looked up at him and smiled, as if he knew exactly what Fenric was doing. Fenric ignored the strange flutter in his chest. Why the hell did Maxie bring out all these protective, brotherly feelings? It didn’t make any sense.

“How will you test for poison?” Lirion inquired.

“Oh, I’ve got a relatively simple spell for it,” Malfas said with a wave of his hand.

“Wouldn’t that get tiring? This might be a little faster and easier.”

Lirion pulled out a needle from his cuff link before walking over to where the other two were prepping ingredients. He stabbed an apple with it, waited a second, then removed it, looking at it carefully.

“What…?” Fenric stared harder at the needle before he realized what it was. “Is that silver?”

“Yes.” Lirion glanced up with a crooked smile. “People aren’t to be trusted. I carry silver needles to test my food and drink discreetly. Puppy, I suggest buying and carrying some yourself. Then you can test items before handing them to someone.”

Maxie had an unreadable expression as he stared at the needle, causing the hair on the back of Fenric’s neck to stand up. “I’m aware of silver’s use. But you’re wise; that’s a good precaution for me to implement.”

Sometimes Fenric gained the distinct impression that Maxie’s life while growing up had been filled with dangers no child should have had to navigate. There was no reason to know silver would test for poisoned food unless you were either in the line of poisoning people or lived in a household often bombarded with threats.

Fenric had never asked Maxie about his family or what he’d been before. Reopening barely closed wounds for his own curiosity didn’t sit right with him. When Maxie felt comfortable enough with them to share the details of his past, Fenric would be privileged to listen, but he wasn’t going to ask.

That irrepressible smile bounced back onto Maxie’s face. “Well, the apple isn’t poisoned, so I can slice and dice!”

Malfas grunted softly. “It’s actually expected. All right, next, try mixing these dry ingredients. You want a cup of sugar and a cup of flour.”

Maxie followed directions, carefully measuring things out.