Page 17 of Sorcery, Swords & Scones
“Clearly, if she blinded her own sister.” Lira shuddered, picked up a cooled crumpet, and tore off a bite with her fingers. “Which brings us back to where we were. If Florin is itching for a fight, Sass running won’t make a bit of difference.”
“She blinded her sister?” Vaskel hissed to Thrain, who nodded with wide eyes.
Sass tried to ignore Vaskel’s horrified expression. “But we know that her catching up to me means I either go back with her or risk putting all my friends and family in danger.”
Lira popped the bit of crumpet in her mouth and made a face. “Definitely better with butter and jam.” She swallowed. “We can’t be sure that returning the amulet and negotiating will fail, especially if I can figure out some spells in my gran’s book.”
“You’ve got a spell in your book to make dwarves more agreeable?” Vaskel asked, which got him a scowl from Thrain and a roll of the eyes from Sass.
Lira ignored the Tielfing’s question and squinted at the amulet. “Are we sure this isn’t magical?”
“Aside from the stone being a valuable one that only comesfrom the Trollbane’s mountain?” Sass shook her head. “Dwarves are masters at metalworking, not enchantments.”
“What are we looking at?”
Everyone jumped as Val poked her head into the group and peered at the amulet.
Sass pressed a hand to her heart. “You nearly scared the life out of me.”
Val swiveled her head to Korl. “You said to meet you at The Tusk & Tail before work, so here I am. I didn't know I’d be crashing a secret meeting to look at a pretty necklace.”
“It’s a bit more than a pretty necklace,” Thrain said.
Val tilted her head at the dwarf and gave him a quick once-over. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
Thrain stood and proffered his hand. “Thrain Rockborn. Sass’s friend.”
Val’s expression brightened. “From the Ice Lands?”
“The very place.” Thrain squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest, although he was still wearing nothing but a tunic and linen breeches.
“Any friend of Sass’s is welcome here.” Val cast her an affectionate smile and a slow wink, neither of which were missed by Thrain.
Sass’s cheeks heated as she avoided her friend’s eyes and flicked a grin at the blonde guard, then she scooped up the amulet and dropped it into the velvet bag. “Val’s right. It’s time to get to work. I wanted to dust out the curtains before we opened.” She shoved the pouch into her pocket and cleared her throat, making shooing motions at Vaskel. “Don’t you have work to do behind the bar?”
He grumbled as he rose, snatching a final crumpet from the plate and heading toward the long bar with a swish of his tail.
Sass felt Val’s eyes on her, but she couldn’t bring herself to meet them. Not when she hadn’t been forthright about herself.
It isn’t like you’re a couple, she reminded herself. You’re just friends.
Somehow, that was small comfort. She’d have to find a time to talk to Val and explain things, but the time wasn’t now.
“See you later?” she asked, her gaze sliding from Korl to Val and her smile uncertain.
Val grinned at her. “I haven’t forgotten your knitting lesson.”
Sass cobbled together a smile, but her stomach tightened at the thought of what she’d need to confess first.
Lira shattered the brittle moment by shoving the plate of remaining crumpets between Sass and Val. “Take a crumpet for the road.”
Val and Korl both took one, which gave Sass the chance to turn away and head for the windows and the curtains that she wanted to shake out.
“Wait up,” Thrain called out to Korl and Val. “You’re guards, right? From Castle Greyhelm? You mind if I walk with you and ask you a few questions?”
Sass had to stop herself from telling her friend not to bother the pair, but she didn’t want to be Thrain’s keeper.
“Fine by me.” Val patted the dwarf on the back as he fell in step with them. “What do you want to know?”
