Page 84 of Till Orc Do Us Part
Then Liara bursts through the front door, wild-eyed, cheeks flushed.
“It’s real,” she says, breathless. “He did it.”
I stare. “He—what?”
“Drokhaz.” She laughs, practically bouncing. “He walked out of the board meeting like a damn legend. The board caved. They’re moving forward with his preservation plan.”
I drop the book in my hands.
The room tilts.
Liara grabs my shoulders, steadying me. “Ro. The boardwalk is safe.”
I press a shaking hand to my mouth.
Safe.
My knees nearly give, but I lock them. I will not fall apart. Not here. Not now.
Instead, I let out a breathless laugh that cracks in the middle.
Jamie bursts in a heartbeat later, curls bouncing, Liara’s cousin trailing behind him. “Mom! Did you see?! They said the Green Giant won!”
Liara snorts. “He sure did.”
Jamie barrels into my legs, eyes wide. “He’s like the story. He used a wish.”
I drop to my knees, hugging him tight, blinking back fresh tears.
“He did, baby,” I whisper. “He really did.”
The shop fills faster than a spring tide.
Word spreads—first a trickle, then a flood. Locals pour through the door, dripping rain and wide smiles. Mrs. Calhoun brings a basket of muffins. Nate hauls in a case of cider. Even Old Man Cass shuffles in, flask in hand, eyes twinkling.
“They’re sayin’ he told the board we don’t raze what raised us,” Cass says, voice rough. “Damn right.”
I can’t stop smiling. Can’t stop shaking.
People hug me. Clap my back. Press pastries and bottles into my hands. I lose count of how many times I hearthank youandyou fought for us.
And through it all, Jamie beams like he built the damn boardwalk himself.
I let him. He’s earned it.
Of course, he also earns a mountain of candy he’s very much not supposed to have.
By the time the poetry night begins—impromptu, half-planned, but fiercely attended—the store hums like a live wire.
Lanterns sway above the stacks. The scent of lavender, rain, and warm cider curls through the air. Every chair is full, every inch of floor packed with neighbors.
I stand at the mic, knees knocking beneath my skirt.
Liara squeezes my shoulder. “You’ve got this.”
I take a breath.
Look out across the crowd.
