Page 35 of Tusks, Tails & Teacakes
A reaction like what? Lira snuck another glance at the orc, but his attention had shifted fully to the pies that were barely visible in his enormous green hands.
“That’s why I usually do all the talking,” Val said.
Sass hadn’t moved from where she sat on the arm of Val’s overstuffed chair. “I take it he does his talking with his fists?”
That gained a bark of laughter from Val. “You’d think. No, he’s just not the talking type. He might look like a brute, but he’d rather be tinkering with things than swinging his sword.”
“Wish he’d tinker with our disaster of an oven,” Sass grumbled.
Korl lifted his head, his black brows rising with it.
Lira laughed, the sound coming out high and chirpy. Did Sass planon telling everyone their problems? “It’s not a total disaster. It’s temperamental.”
“I’mtemperamental.” Sass shot a dark look toward the kitchen. “The oven is a menace. These are the first things that haven’t come out half burned or half raw.”
This wasn’t entirely untrue, but it felt like more of a judgment on Lira’s baking than the oven, and her face burned. Luckily no one seemed to be paying attention to her but Korl, whose black eyes held hers.
“So, what’s all this?” Sass had already moved on and was gesturing to the knitting needles resting on Val’s leg.
Val plucked the orange ball of yarn from her lap and held it up. “I like guard work more than Korl does. It keeps my mind and my hands busy, otherwise they’re both too jumpy.” She twisted the yarn ball as if examining it. “So, when my hands can’t be busy with a blade, I do this.”
“You’re a knitter?” Lira felt like she needed to clarify even though it should have been obvious. She just hadn’t encountered many soldiers who knit—and she’d encountered plenty of soldiers.
Val didn’t seem insulted by the question. “That’s right. It beats getting in trouble because I can’t sit still.” Her lips scrunched to one side. “I’m not good at doing much but rows, though, so everyone in my life has lots of scarves.”
Korl grunted again, but this time it sounded more like an amused grunt.
“You’re welcome to knit here anytime,” Sass said, motioning to the basket on the other side of the chair. “You can even keep your yarn here.”
When had she added that? Then Lira noticed the side tables hunched beside each chair that were polished until they shone in the dancing flames of the fire. Sass had turned the pair of weary, worn chairs someone else had wanted to discard into a cozy fireside refuge.
“Thanks.” Val nudged Sass, almost knocking her off the armrest.
Lira caught her, righting the dwarf so she was standingagain and tipping her own head toward the front door that had just swung open. “Looks like we have more patrons who might like some supper.”
“Right.” Sass cleared her throat and took a step away from the guards. When Lira turned toward the door with her, she cut her gaze to the kitchen. “You don’t happen to have any more of these pocket pies in the oven, do you?”
Lira’s stomach dropped. The pies. Hells and cinders!
Twenty-One
“Could have been worse.”Sass stood with Lira in front of the cold pan and even colder oven.
Lira slid an icy glance at her. “What’s worse than the ovennotheating up?”
Crumpet let loose with a series of chitters and shook a tiny fist at the hulking iron stove.
“He knows.” Sass jerked her head toward the flutter-stoat. “At least the vengeful contraption didn’t burn the place down.”
Lira groaned. “No chance of that—or of us serving any more food.”
The dwarf flapped a hand as if to dismiss this concern. “I’dsay this is one advantage of not having a lot of business yet. We don’t have many folks to disappoint.”
“Now there’s a silver lining.” Lira untied the flour-smudged apron covering her clothes and tossed it onto the counter. Between Iris's visit and the temperamental oven, she was ready for the day to be done.
“I’ll pop in to the tinker’s tomorrow, although the shop seems perpetually closed,” Sass said. “I doubt we can count on Durn to replace this monster if he hasn’t yet.”
Lira suspected Sass was right. The tavernkeeper had generally avoided the kitchen. He went from his room above stairs to his position behind the bar where he grumbled with Silas, and back again to his room, with not much more than a nod in their direction each evening. She was sure Sass had to be twice as boisterous to make up for the owner’s dour presence.
