Page 17 of Tusks, Tails & Teacakes
“Accidental creation,” Lira muttered.
“They don’t look much like worms,” Sass said. “Are you sure a dragon didn’t hump a pixie?”
“They started out as worms.” Iris gave the creatures a motherly smile. “That’s when I named them. Then they sprouted wings.”
“You’re the only one of us who’s probably seen a dragon,” Lira reminded Sass. “They’re only found in The Ice Lands.”
Sass didn’t take her eyes off the flying creatures. “I’ve only seen one dragon, and it was only the tail as it was flying away. They’re shy ones, dragons.”
Lira had never thought of dragons being shy, but Sass was the only one of them with firsthand knowledge. Even though she’d traveled beyond the long wall to go to The Wild Reach and even ventured into a dwarf mine, she’d never come close to spotting a dragon.
“Would you like some tea as you admire my bookwyrms?” Iris moved past Sass, her skirts flouncing.
Sass dragged her gaze to the apothecary. “Thank you.”
Iris plucked another teacup from a shelf and poured tea into it from the kettle. She handed it to the dwarf. “Lira tells me you’re her new roommate.”
Sass took the cup but shifted under Iris's gaze, cutting her eyes to Lira. “What else did she tell you?”
Lira took a sip of her cooled tea. “Only that we’re both helping Durn get the tavern back on its feet.”
Sass’s shoulders lowered a touch. “That’s about the long and short of it. She’s taking the kitchen, and I’m taking the great room.”
Lira glanced at Sass’s burgeoning net bag. “Did you find what you needed next door?”
Sass gave the bag a gentle shake. “The shopkeeper had some fabric he was trying to move, so I got us a deal.”
“It sounds like Durn got the best deal when he found you two.” Iris shot Lira a pointed look, which she ignored.
Sass slurped her tea, and one of the bookwyrms glided down and landed tentatively on her shoulder.
Iris gave Sass an appreciative nod. “He likes you, pet.”
“They took forever to warm up to me.” Lira crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the tiny creature.
“You were a child,” Iris said. “And children are too unpredictable and brash for tiny creatures.”
Before Lira could argue that there was hardly anyone as brash and unpredictable as a dwarf, Sass cleared her throat. “How do you know each other, aside from being from the same village?”
Lira didn’t need to exchange a look with Iris to know what to say. “Iris was my gran’s best friend, so in a way, she helped raise me.”
Iris's cheeks colored. “An apothecary is a wondrous place for a child.”
“Especially one that has a whole bunch of these guys flying around,” Sass said as she stroked one finger down the bookwyrm’s green neck.
Lira took another sip of tea. “Speaking of winged creatures, tell me about Wayside’s new reeve.”
Iris’s expression darkened. “I can’t tell you how he did it, but Rygor showed up at the castle, wormed his way into the laird’s good graces, and then convinced the old man that he was the best one to collect taxes from villagers who’d been holding onto more than their share.”
Irritation flared inside Lira. “People in Wayside have never withheld coin from the laird.”
Iris shrugged. “What better way to be sure than appoint a wyvern who can sniff out gold?”
“He thinks Durn is holding out on him,” Sass said. “He said that he can smell the gold in the tavern.”
Iris laughed. “If Durn had gold, the tavern wouldn’t be crumbling around him.”
Lira’s cheeks heated as she thought of the wyvern's accusation. “Is Rygor as scary as he looks?”
