Page 2 of Sorcery, Swords & Scones
“And your taste-testing skills, Crump,” Sass added with a wrysmile, then swiveled her head around the kitchen. “What happened to the recipe you were working on for the Harvest Festival? Anything left from that?”
Lira’s brow pinched, and Sass regretted reminding her that the festival to celebrate the coming harvest season was mere days away. Not that she had any doubt that Lira would come up with a delicious recipe the tavern could showcase, especially since her friend now had her gran’s recipe book.
“The apple crumble bars? I’m still working on the perfect apple to cinnamon ratio.”
Sass scanned the kitchen for the large leather-bound recipe book that contained much more than recipes. “I thought you were using one of your gran’s recipes.”
“I am.” Lira glanced at the flutter stoat. “But my gran’s measurements for recipes weren’t always precise. I’m still working out what her version of a sprinkle, a pinch, or a handful is, which means lots of trial runs. Right, Crumpet?”
Sass straightened and put her hands on her hips. “Are you telling me that the wee beast ate everything?”
“Like you said, he’s excellent at taste-testing.”
Before Sass could register another complaint about the enchanted stoat eating better than she did, the kitchen doors that only took up the middle part of the doorway swung open.
“If there’s any taste-testing to be done, I’d like to be considered for the job.”
Sass and Lira both turned as Korl stepped into the kitchen. The tall orc guardsman wore quilted chest armor over dark pants and had his black hair tied back. His skin was dusky green, with small tusks that peeked from his lower lip. Muscles bunched his arms and shoulders, which were currently free of weapons.
Lira’s face lit up at the sight of her fiancé. “You’re done with work?”
He nodded, his dark eyes flashing as he took her in. “Guardsmenwork, at least.”
Korl had recently taken over the old tinker’s workshop, although he was still working as a guard until he was ready to open for business. Despite his imposing appearance, the orc preferred fiddling with gadgets to swinging a sword. But above all things, he preferred Lira, which was clear in the way he looked at her and the way his cheeks splotched dark every time she walked into a room.
Sass tried not to envy the couple. After all, Lira was her best friend. But it was hard not to want someone to gaze at her with that doe-eyed infatuation. Especially a certain someone, Sass thought, her eyes flitting to the kitchen door as if willing the blonde guard to walk in behind Korl.
When she didn’t, Sass wagged a finger at the orc, making him take a step back although he was twice as tall as her. “Don’t even think of coming in and distracting my cook with those smoldering orc looks.”
Lira stifled a laugh. “Smoldering orc looks?”
Sass narrowed her gaze first at her friend and then at the guard. “You know what I mean.” She took another step toward Korl. “Now go out to the great room, and I’ll see if I can commandeer one of her meat pies for you.”
“Much appreciated, Sass.” Korl winked at Lira over Sass’s head but dutifully backed away, leaving the half-doors creaking in his wake.
“You need to set a date for your wedding, you know,” Sass said once the orc had left.
Lira held up her flour-dusted palms. “I can’t add one more thing to my plate until the Harvest Festival is over.”
Sass tapped one toe impatiently. “You’re sure you’re not putting it off?”
Lira scoffed at this, but dropped her gaze back to the worktable. “Why would I do that? I’m crazy about Korl.”
Sass twitched one shoulder. She didn’t know the answer either, but she could have sworn that Lira had been avoiding the topic every time she brought it up. “All I know is that it’s going to take abit of time to pull together a fancy wedding, so the sooner we start planning, the better.”
Lira’s eyes became slits as she placed the final crescent on the tray and sent it across the wooden table to Sass. “Who said anything about a fancy wedding?”
“I have—to everyone.”
Lira’s eyes went skyward. “As long as I don’t have to think about this fancy wedding until after the Harvest Festival.”
Sass tried to keep the triumph out of her smile. “I suppose it can wait, although I might have already talked to Tin about color palettes.”
“Are you adding wedding planner to your list of talents?”
“How hard could it be? Not harder than whipping this place into shape, that’s for sure.”
“There’s no denying you did a miraculous job fixing up the tavern. It’s the beating heart of the village again, and a lot of that is down to your hard work.”
