Page 54 of Tusks, Tails & Teacakes
“You were so green,” Cali said. “But you actually turned green when Vaskel, Pirrin, and Rog showed up.”
“All of you together were a lot.”
“Gods, you were not the best rogue back then."
"Excuse me?" Lira pressed a hand to her chest in mock offense. "I was an excellent rogue!"
“In your first quest, you apologized to the guard captain after picking his pocket!"
Crumpet chittered what sounded suspiciously like laughter.
Lira scowled at the creature. “It was my first time! And he looked so disappointed that my flirting hadn’t been genuine. I felt bad for the guy.”
"We were desperate when we took you on,” Cali admitted. “We were short a rogue, winter was coming on, and that necromancer's tower wasn't going to raid itself."
Lira whisked the cake batter with more force than necessary. "Always nice to know you were the desperate choice."
"Hey." Cali's paw touched her arm. "It turned out to be the best choice we could have made. You saved our skins more times than I can count."
The batter smoothed under Lira's whisk, taking on a silky sheen. "Even though I apologized to marks?"
"Especiallybecause you apologized to marks. Your conscience kept us human." Cali paused. "Well, human-adjacent, in my case—and Rog’s.” She watched as Lira poured the batter into the pan. "Speaking of running with our crew, are you sure about leaving all that behind to come back here?"
Lira's hands stilled. Through the window, she could see the stream gurgling over rocks as it wound its way down to the waterwheel at the mill, she could hear the strike of the blacksmith’s iron. The sameblacksmiths who’d fixed her gran’s cart, the same mill where they’d gotten their flour, the same cool water flowing the same way it had all those years ago. But it was different now. Or maybe she was the one who was different.
"I am,” she said finally. "For the first time in a long while, I think I am.” She turned to her friend. "What about you? What's next for the infamous Cali Quickdraw?”
Before the Tabaxi could answer, Sass burst through the door, her brown braid swinging. "Your scone admirers are gathering early. And by gathering, I mean there are folks outside asking for them. Folks who aren’t our usual folks. Not to mention the lady chandler.”
Crumpet chittered excitedly and fluttered up to perch on the rack where the copper pots hung.
“The one you want to set up with Durn?” Lira asked.
Sass hitched one shoulder. “I might have bribed her with a free scone.”
“What are you using to bribe Durn to look presentable?” Cali asked.
Sass worked the end of her braid in one hand. “I hadn’t thought about that. Maybe I should offer her an ale to make him look better.”
“Better make it a few ales.”
Sass wagged a finger at Cali. “The longest tunnel starts with a single strike of the axe.”
Lira grabbed a dishcloth, grinning. "Well then, we shouldn't keep them waiting." She pulled open the oven door, releasing a wave of warm, spiced air. "Though I still think you're overly optimistic about this rush of yours."
"Mark my words," Sass called as she headed back to the dining room. "This is just the beginning!"
Cali's whiskers twitched with amusement. "You know what? I think the dwarf might be right. Not about Durn, though. That would take some powerful magic.” She stood and stretched. "Need help carrying anything out?"
"Always," Lira said, and together they began loading scones onto serving plates, falling into the same easy rhythm they'd had during their adventuring days.
Lira hadn’t missed everything about running with a crew, but she had missed this.
Thirty-One
It wasn’tuntil after the afternoon scone rush, as Sass insisted on calling it, that Iris appeared at the tavern. Lira heard her throaty laugh from the kitchen and emerged, wiping her hands on her apron.
“There you are, love.” Iris sat at the bar facing Cali and sipping on a mug of chai, one finger absently twirling a curl of hair.
