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CHAPTER1
“Shouldn’t you be out frolicking in the forest or something?” Bloom said as she set a screwdriver on the bar for Tam as she sat in her usual spot at the bar. “Or maybe there’s some moon ritual to cleanse your aura?”
“Ha ha, very funny,” Tam shot back, with mock annoyance. “Tonight this is my path,” she said, as she lifted the drink to her lips. After a little sip, she added, “I think I’ve done enough this week to connect to my fae roots, thank you very much.”
“I’m sure you have,” Bloom said, giving her a wink and a half smile. “You know I just like to raze you,” she then said as she pulled away to attend to the rest of the newly arrived regulars clamoring for their favorite drinks. It was still early, but Thursday nights got pretty hopping. It was her favorite night. Crowded enough for good business, but not so crowded she couldn’t connect with her peeps. And as the proprietor of what was arguably the central hub of Fae Crossing, The Fair Folk Bar, better known as “The Tree”, she had lots of peeps to connect with.
“Bloom, my dear! And how are you on this fine, fine spring evening?”
It was Dewey, a gentleman of about sixty and one of her regulars.
“Can’t complain in the slightest, my good man,” she called, already preparing a dry martini for him. For whatever reason, she always fell into mock high-borne speech with him.
Actually, come to think of it, it was hardly for no reason. He was full-fae after all, and in that sense, certainly more high-born than herself, though he wasn’t the type to even register something like that.
“And if I may ask after the tomatoes, my good man?”
“You most certainly may. All of my garden is coming in quite nicely. If you are lucky, I may bring you some green beans soon enough.”
“I shall look forward to the day,” she said as she scanned the growing crowd. It was quickly filling up.
Oh shit.Nilsa had said they might swing by.And here they are.
“Councilman Cliffwyn, um… Nilsa, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Hello, Bloom. What, I don’t get the title, but he does?” the fae woman retorted in a friendly enough voice.
“Oh. No, I meant…”
But the woman quickly interrupted her, “Please, are you kidding? Of course, call me Nilsa. That’s the least I can do to honor your father.”
Bloom felt the familiar stab of pain in her gut. Actually, over time it had become more of a dull ache.
“And please,” said the man, “Call me Finch. Like she said, your father is sorely missed. And I think it’s about time we got on a first name basis.”
“And to what do I owe this honor?”
Humans, fae, and shifter; all were welcome here, even if for the most part, this was a fae watering hole.
Forsome crazy reason, shifters don’t seem to gravitate to drinking inside a literal tree–Shocker.Of course they had the Grizzly Den down the road, but still it seemed a plenty of shifters still liked to come and hang out here, so they weren’t that rare a sight in the fae haunt.Variety is the spice of life.
“Believe it or not, but no real reason, I haven’t been in, really, since a while back when your father hosted a few informal council meetings here. I’m sorry I haven’t made myself more known to the famous Tree bar. I guess I should consider myself lucky that it let me in!” he laughed.
“Well, glad to have you, then, Finch. And thank you, it’s nice to know my father is still remembered.”
“Still remembered? Are you kidding? Of course, he is. And I want you to know that we haven’t given up…” he started.
Bloom looked around. Things were already picking up. And she really didn’t want to go there right now.
“Of course. Thank you, Councilman… Finch. What can I get for you guys?”
With that, she took their order.And narrowly escaped another uncomfortable walk down painful-memory lane.
She served them up their drinks and as they made their way to a table off in the quieter dining area, she went back to surveying the main bar room.
The clientele tonight was mostly Fae, with the majority being friendly faces she often saw around town.Friendly faces? Were they, though? They weren’tunfriendly.
“Guinness, Please,” she heard called over the bar.
