Page 12 of Magic & Matchmaking
“Oh, wonderful.” He flashed his sharp teeth. “More willfully ignorant people. She has no friends. Her entire life revolves around her father and his well-being. Does that sound good to you?”
I frowned. No. No, it did not. I hadn’t realized it was that bad.
“What am I supposed to do?” I asked.
“Be her friend.” Herman lifted a leg and gestured around the bookcase. “Be there for her. How long are you here?”
“A month.” One month before I needed to figure out if I was going to do another tour, write more music, settle down some place and sing permanently for an establishment. I’d gotten many offers. I just had to figure out what would make me happy.
“That’ll do,” Herman said decisively.
“What will do?” I asked, having trouble following this conversation.
The dragon rolled his eyes. “Keep up, will you?”
I scratched my head. “Uh . . .”
He pointed a talon at me. “Are all bards this simple?”
“You are very blunt.”
“And you are having a hard time understanding. Emma needs a life. You’re her only friend. And you’re here for an entire month. So remind her what she’s been missing out on. Get her out of her bubble.”
I cocked my head. “Why do you care so much about Emma?”
“Oh, I don’t.” The dragon studied one of his claws. “I mean, she’s alright. A little snarky, if you ask me. But I love to meddle. I never got to when I was stuck in that horrid shop with all those other insipid creatures. I’d give advice, and no one would listen. Mainly because none of them understood me.” He tilted his head. “Apart from my siblings, who can understand me but are still too insipid to take my advice.”
“So you want me to listen to your advice?” I asked.
He gave me a pointed look. “Well, isn’t it good advice?”
I thought about everything he’d said. I hadn’t known Emma had retreated into herself so much in the last decade. I didn’t know a lot about Emma anymore. We had the kind of relationship where I could be gone for months, then come back for a single day, and we could pick up right where we’d left off. But Emma had never revealed she didn’t have other friends. Hadn’t revealed how isolated she’d become. Maybe I couldn’t have Emma in the way I’d once hoped, but I could do this for her. I could do what Herman said. Be there. Be her friend.
Decision made, I stood and emerged out into the main area of the bustling tea shop, immediately regretting my decision when the entire establishment went silent.
“Oh my witch,” someone said. “It’s Riven Shiu.”
The entire place erupted in a frenzy, people immediately surrounding me, yelling my name, grabbing at my shirt, gripping my arms.
Damnit. Suddenly, fire shot through the crowd, and a different kind of scream pierced the air, a frightened one.
“Everybody give the man some space,” Herman said from above as his fire streamed over everyone’s heads, nearly singeing my hair.
I shot him a look, and he shrugged.
Most everyone backed away, except for one more dedicated fan, a woman wearing a pink witch hat, still gripping my arm tight.
“Need a place to stay tonight?” she asked in a low voice.
It was a tempting offer. It had been a while since I’d had a woman in mybed, mainly because I was so exhausted when on tour. She could be the exact distraction I needed.
“I will give you until the count of three to let go of the bard,” Herman said in a stern voice, making the decision for me. “And then, I can’t promise my fire won’t make its way right to your ass?—”
“Okay,” I said and grabbed her hand, gently removing it from my arm. “It was great to see everyone today, but I’m actually here on a break, so I’d really appreciate a little privacy.”
Herman swooped down next to me. “You heard the man!”
I should’ve brought Karl in here to do crowd control, but the giant orc would’ve made me stand out even more, something I didn’t want. Besides, after a lifetime of fighting in the Orc Wars, Karl had been excited to come on as my bodyguard and enjoy the delights all the towns we toured in had to offer.
