Page 37 of Tusks, Tails & Teacakes
Lira thought about her gran and Durn’s wife, the shuttered storefronts off the main street, the perpetually closed tinker, the vacancy sign swinging in front of the inn. She could see his point, although she never would have thought a place could have a heart.
The gnome fingered the wide lapel of his vest. “I always say that there’s nothing quite as good for lifting the spirits as a new frock. Nothing as good. So that’s why I’m here. That’s why you’re back too, isn’t it?”
Lira blinkedat him. “For a new frock?”
His laughter peeled high and merry. “No, no. Aren’t you droll? No, you don’t strike me as the frock type.”
Should Lira be offended by that? Or by being called droll? Or by Sass’s shoulders shaking as she tried not to laugh?
“I heard you’re a local who’s come back,” Tin said. “You must sense the same thing about the village. Why else would you put so much into saving this tavern? Why else?”
Lira nodded, the smile frozen on her face. That wasn’t why she’d come back at all, but he was right that she’d felt compelled to help The Tusk & Tail.
“That she does.” Sass hooked her arm through Lira’s, amusement dripping from her voice. “We all want to save the tavern.”
Lira gave the dwarf a vigorous pat on the arm. “Yes, we do, and thank you again for helping us, Mr.—I mean, Tin.”
The gnome grinned as he nodded, pleased that she’d called him by his name. “My pleasure, my pleasure.” He turned his attention to Sass. “Now should I take at look at that room you told me about? I suspect the bedding hasn’t been updated since the first dragon age.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Sass said.
“Bedding?” Lira frowned. Did Sass mean the room they were sharing? “I think we need a new oven before we can think about redecorating our sleeping chamber.”
“Of course, of course.” The haberdasher bobbed his head, some of the excitement fading from his eyes. “Function before all else. That’s what I always say.” Then he gave Sass a knowing look. “Later, perhaps, my dear.”
Lira wasn’t sure if she would have called his silky ascot functional, nor the glittering pin anchoring it in place, but she couldn’t help liking the fellow. Besides, he was one of their few regulars, according to Sass.
Tinpin Thistledown produced a pristine black cap and tipped it to them before he settled it onto his head, the point draping to one side. “I bid you both a good night, a very good night.”
As he strode jauntily away, Lira noticed Val and Korl slipping out, Val trailing at least a foot of newly knit orange scarf behind her and theorc’s gaze landing on Lira for a beat before he ducked under the doorframe.
Then Silas shuffled by, using two fingers to point to his own eyes and then at her. “I’ve got my eyes on you two.”
All questions about Sass’s plans for their bedroom flew from her mind, but the dwarf just swung a dishtowel in his direction and told him to go on home. Of course, Sass didn’t have to worry about anyone keeping their eye on her.
Lira drew in a breath of peat smoke, sweeping her gaze around the now-empty tavern with the crackling fire and a few errant pewter plates and tankards scattered across the long, thick-legged tables. “So those are our regulars?”
Sass twirled the tail of her braid around one finger and her grin flashed momentarily wicked. “For now.”
That gave Lira pause.
Twenty-Two
Lira rubbedsleep from her eyes as she sipped her mug of chai at the stove when the swinging doors flew open the next morning. When she jumped, some of the steaming contents of her drink sloshed onto her hand and she emitted the appropriate yelp.
“Apologies.”
The voice was gruff and low, and unless Sass had acquired a virulent cold overnight, it didn’t belong to the dwarf. It also came from behind the swinging doors, which had swung shut again from the force of the first attempt.
A dusky, green hand appeared as an orc pushed into the room, this time more gingerly. Not just an orc, Lira realized.Korl.
Once again, she was struck by how good looking he was, especially for an orc. Not that she had anything against the looks of orcs in general. She’d known some perfectly decent ones, most notably Korl’s dads, but not many she would have called handsome. But Korl’s chiseled cheekbones, square jaw, and black hair that he wore in a braid made it hard for her to look away. But when her face warmed, she did.
“Did you burn your hand?”
Lira shook her head, flicking drops of spiced tea from her fingers and unable to keep the surprise from her voice. “What are you doing here? We don’t open for hours.”
“I didn’t mean to frighten you. I didn’t think you’d be here.”
