Page 35 of Ceridor

Ceridor hummed happily and settled into my arms. "I like the sound of that."

Chapter Twenty-Two

Johann

Back at the inn, I helped Effie with some cleaning while Ceridor hung up our towels, and then we followed that with a long round of cuddling in bed and me pampering him.

Ceridor came out and sat at the counter. I took him in: cozy in my orange sweater and some loose pants, his elbows on the counter and chin in his hands, though he looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"Müde?" I asked whether he was tired.

He nodded. "I want to nap, but I'm afraid if I do in the bed then I won't be able to sleep tonight."

"How about we get set up on the sofa? I'll read through one of my books and make sure you don't sleep for too long."

He nodded. "Ja, das klingt gut."

Effie returned to making dinner and we got set up. Ceridor was out in no time, draped across my lap while I read throughone of the magical textbooks I'd been working through in the curriculum from Diana Monastery.

An old woman came in who was staying at our inn while she visited her sister. She greeted Effie and was passing by the sofa when she paused, staring long and hard at Ceridor.

Alerted by her interest, I stuck my thumb in the book and looked up.

"Is that Prince Regent Christian?" she whispered.

"It is," I answered, gently petting his hair and impressed with how deeply asleep he remained.

"He looks so much like his mother," she remarked, the tone in her voice conveying how so many people felt around here, that Ceridor and Magnus's mother had been a truly wonderful representative to her people and was dearly missed. "I haven't seen him in years."

"He works as a traveling ambassador these days," I replied. "His brother Magnus plans to take over as Regent once their father retires."

That was the story we told the citizenry, though in truth Ceridor engaged in outright espionage.

She smiled and nodded. "I hope it goes well."

She shuffled along and I returned to my book, continuing to pet my lover's hair. The old lady was singing softly to herself, and only belatedly did I realize the little tune was about lanterns.

Johann

One week later

After we firmed up our plans, preparations to leave moved quickly.

"I'm sorry to see her go," said Effie, watching with a soft sadness as I scrubbed the chewed-up corner of the counter clean.

I nodded. "Just in case this is connected to larger things, better that the Mulberry Inn isn't involved. Let me go do this first, then I'll come back."

"Okay," Effie said, her voice watery as her eyes brimmed with tears.

Sure enough, my lighting and then extinguishing the candles had triggered Dunu to come visit. She showed up at the door, this time thankfully without a fish. As planned, I grabbed the basket of dinner rolls that Effie had prepared.

"Bye, honey!" Effie called, then buried her face in her apron and wept. Thankfully Magnus had offered to come over to comfort her, so Effie got a big hug.

My heart melted, but I needed to focus on the task at hand.

Dunu's eyes widened when she saw not only the candles not lit but totally gone, the counter clean. Her lips pulled back to reveal her sharp teeth.

But before she could think to lunge at me I brandished a dinner roll and held it right in front of her.

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