Page 87 of Shade of Ruin

“We have a few things to deal with other than filling our bellies,” Cole says with a grin. “But maybe we could try to explore the city a little more.”

Darian leads the way down the street, and Lee walks beside him. I’m still surprised at how quiet the world is in the city nowthat the sun’s below the horizon. It really is enjoyable, and after that incredible show, there’s a lightness to all of us that hasn’t been there before. Even in Aerwyn, Cole and I were on edge. I was finding my way in this new world, and he was… well, he was Cole. Now he’s different, and I’m not entirely sure what changed.

His arm brushes against mine, and he smiles down at me. His fingers wrap around mine, and I wonder if maybe it’s because of this. Maybe it’s the soft touches that have him acting differently.

“There it is,” Darian says, turning to glance back at us. I notice his eyes dropping to our hands before meeting our gaze again, and there’s a different kind of smile on his lips this time. “Right up here. They’ve got the fires going.”

There’s no confusing what he means by that. As soon as we take a few steps, the Firelight Café comes into view. From the corners of the building, hanging lanterns draw my gaze. In the center of each of the outdoor tables, a small fire burns. Several groups of Immortals sit around the tables laughing, drinking, and eating.

It looks… happy? Is that a thing in Draenyth? I’ve seen so little of the city that I barely know what to expect. In the Sickle District that first day, I saw Immortals smiling, but it was all a blur other than the memories of those humans.

As we get closer, I’m more and more sure that the patrons of the Firelight Café are actually enjoying themselves without anything negative. I almost expect to see people being tormented as the entertainment, or gruesome “delicacies”, or slaves serving bread.

None of that’s happening. It’s just a simple place serving drinks and food around fires. A strangely human-looking Immortal woman is passing out cups as Darian opens a waist high gate that opens into the seating area. The woman looks at Darian, and a twinkle in her eyes says that they know each other.

“Mari, it has been far too long,” he says, and Lee doesn’t interject herself into the conversation like she normally does when she’s around her brother.

“It has. I’d thought that you’d found a different place to spend your nights with more highbrow company. Wasn’t sure if you finally came to your senses.”

Lee leads the rest of us to a table, but none of us take our attention off Darian and Mari. “You’re breaking my heart, Mari,” he says with an exaggerated expression, his hands going to his breast. “To think that you actually believed I would cheat on you with another coffee house? It pains me you’d think I could ever do that to you.”

She almost looks serious until she cracks a smile. “Oh, go take your seat, Your Highness. I’ll bring a coffee service out. Flavored or plain?”

“Chocolate,” he says, and my mouth waters. Chocolate coffee? Umm… yes, please.

She grins and nods. Darian finally comes to sit down with us, and I can’t help but ask the question. “What kind of Immortal is she?” I whisper.

Darian grins. “She’s just a Wyrdling. But she’s a damn fine baker, so no one would ever dream of hurting her.”

“Wait,” I say, “I could have been a good baker, and everything would have been fine? I could have lived out my life in Draenyth with no issues if I knew how to make good bread?”

Everyone grins at least a little. “If you showed the right people, maybe,” Lee says. “But Mari is something special. You’ll see. If your campfire cooking is any judge of your cooking skills, I don’t think you’d make it in Draenyth purely based on your food. In fact, it could be considered a crime, so maybe don’t try that.”

Even Cole’s on the verge of laughter at that comment. “My food isn’t that bad!” That only makes them break out into full-on laughter.

“That’s the last time I cook for any of you.”, and I can’t help but laugh along with them.

That’s when Mari comes to the table with the coffee service and a basket of bread that’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Longer than my arm from shoulder to wrist, but barely thicker than my middle finger, it’s not anything that I’d have found in Blackgrove.

“Ah, the illustrious dipping sticks,” Darian says. “You know, Mari, one day you’re going to have to show someone else how to make these. What would we do if you retired from the business?”

She huffs and shakes her head. “If I gave out my recipe for those, I doubt I’d live to see the morning. They’re my ticket to a long and prosperous life. Where you have magic and skills that keep you alive in this city, I just have a few recipes. I think I’ll keep them to myself, thank you very much.”

“Well, if you decide to retire and leave the city, please promise that you’ll give someone the recipe so we don’t have to live another day without them. Do you know how empty and terrible our lives were before them?”

It’s hilarious seeing him banter with Mari. Especially with her being a Wyrdling. She’s the first I’ve ever seen, and watching her interact with Darian is incredible. I haven’t seen her talk to anyone else like that, though.

She glances at Cole and then at me. “Enjoy your evening, and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to send yourfriendto come find me.”

Darian grins at her, but Cole nods, a twinkle in his eye. They’re happy here. Somehow, after what feels like a lifetime, tonight is the first time that I truly feel like everyone is happy at the same time. Like for this one night, everything is right.

Cole pours a cup of coffee for me and pushes the small cup and saucer to me before getting one of the dipping sticks out for himself. I follow suit, and surprisingly, notice that Darianis glancing at Mari instead of paying attention to the food. Lee elbows him in the ribs, and he glares at his sister.

“So they’re dipping sticks?” I ask as I pick one of the long, thin pieces of bread up. A spiral winds its way down the length of it, one half a honeyed color and the other half a dull red. At first, I expect it to be just a design choice like so many things in Draenyth. Especially with how the Firelight Café is centralized between the Keep of Flames and the Keep of Earth.

I watch as Cole breaks an end off the long stick with a crack and then dips it into the black coffee. He stirs it slowly, his eyes catching my glance, and I move to do the same thing. The bread snaps in my hand with a satisfying crunch, and I move to swirl it around the coffee.

The table’s quiet as we all focus on our food and drink, and then when Cole puts his stir-stick in his mouth, I do the same. I had thought that chocolate was magical. This is something else entirely.

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