Page 28 of Bloody Business

Julep made him smile.He relaxed with her.Best of all, he didn't have to worry about her trying to stab him in the back.If he was toppling off a balcony, she would try to save him.

It was nice, not living with a woman with murder on her mind.

Mushroom park

“The mountain made allthis?”Julep looked at the huge mushroom they stood under.Creamy white and delicate, sunlight shown through the cap, illuminating the gills.She touched the cool stone stem, awed.“It's beautiful.”

Mushroom Park was a forest of stone fungi, big and small.There were small mushrooms for benches and tables scattered throughout the space.Large, brightly colored snails left trails of fluorescent slime through the moss and ferns.Glowing bugs flitted about, leaving specs of color behind.Fat, lazy toads glowed from digesting the sparkling bugs, chatting with lazy croaks.

A small stream wound through the park, decorated with ferns and mossy rocks.A little bridge arched over the stream, perfect for watching the silver fish.

Artur patted the mushroom stem.“This mushroom is the original.We give the mountain credit for it, although it's possible it grew on its own.Unlikely, but the wild magic does occasionally do interesting things.

“Our mages and craftsmen made the rest.If it had been a real mushroom, it would have spores.No one would be able to breathe.”

Goblins strolled by, often in pairs or families.Her eyes lingered on a mother with two small children.She felt a small pang.Adopt, huh?Maybe one day.She looked at her husband speculatively.

Unaware of her interesting thoughts, Artur continued the tour.“This stream is glacier fed.We have a series of troughs and pipes that collect runoff and feed water to the city.Sometimes interesting things wash down.I'll take you to the museum sometime and show you the exhibits.It's fascinating what lurks in the dark lakes.”

She pictured the cold lakes high up the mountain and shivered.She could easily believe they were full of monsters.

“You'll probably like the Starry Market.It's the market inside the mountain, and it's very popular during the storm season.The museum is inside.”

Julep looked at him thoughtfully.There was a lot more to goblins than she'd realized.

“What is it?”he asked, amused by her speculative appraisal.He was enjoying himself.He couldn't recall the last time he had taken the time just to show someone around.It was a welcome change of pace.

“You know, most humans think goblins are nothing but war machines,” she said carefully, gauging his reaction.“But there is all this.”She waved her arm to indicate the beautiful park.

“That's what we want outsiders to think,” he said mildly.“People who live in our settled cities learn differently.”

Julep looked into the distance.She was quiet for some time.“When I was 15, I escaped with my family from a goblin attack on our town.”

He waved her to a bench and gave her his full attention.Clearly, this was going to be a lengthy conversation.

She sat with a sigh.“It was night, and we were lucky to escape with the clothes on our backs.

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