Page 47 of Sorcery, Swords & Scones
"How are you holding up, pet?” Iris asked. “Anything from the ring?”
Sass touched the back of the silver band with the pad of her thumb. “Aye, a bit, but it hasn’t prickled since Erindil showed up.”
Iris tapped her chin. “Curious. It is elven-made. I wonder if his presence dilutes its power.” She gave her head a shake. "Speaking of the elf, where is he? I was hoping to meet Lira’s uncle.”
Sass gestured vaguely toward the back of the tavern. "Erindil agreed to set up his camp behind the building. He said something about not wanting to impose on our 'rustic accommodations' any more than absolutely necessary."
As if on cue, the faint sound of lute music drifted through one of the open tavern windows.
“Does that lute player ever sleep?” Vaskel grumbled.
Sass laughed and continued her walk across the great room, glancing back at Vaskel and Iris, who had already returned to their intense conversation. Not finding anyone else who looked alert or hungry, she dropped the basket of crumpets on the nearest table and eyed the door.
Sass had been turning the problem over in her mind all night, and she'd reached a conclusion that felt both terrifying and inevitable. She was sure she could make a deal with Florin that would protect Wayside and everyone she cared about. It would certainly mean returning the amulet and possibly returning to the Ice Lands, but if it kept her friends safe, it would be worth it.
The key was to approach Florin first, not wait for the dwarf princess to come stalking through the village with her armed guards. If Sass could present herself voluntarily, perhaps she could negotiate from a position of relative strength.
She moved quietly toward the front door, careful not to disturb Thrain's snoring or wake Cali. She took her time opening the heavy door as slowly as possible so it wouldn’t creak, holding her breath as, for once, it moved on silent hinges. She steppedoutside and allowed herself a relieved release of breath. Then she almost walked straight into Val.
The blonde guard must have been standing watch outside the tavern door because it had only taken one step for her to block Sass’s path. A slow grin spread across Val's face. "I thought you might try to do something brave and foolish. That’s why I’ve been waiting out here.”
Sass opened her mouth to argue, to insist that she was just getting some fresh air, but the words died in her throat. She didn’t want to lie to Val. She couldn’t.
Then Val stepped closer and brushed one finger along Sass’s jawline. "I'm here to be brave and foolish with you."
Thirty-Six
Sass blinked atVal in disbelief. Maybe lack of sleep had made her delusional. “You’re what?”
“I’m coming with you.” Val widened her stance as if daring Sass to pass. “You’re going to do something incredibly foolhardy, right?” When Sass didn’t answer, Val nodded. “Well, I’m coming too.”
Sass huffed out an exasperated breath. "Fine.” She folded her arms over her chest in a gesture that was equal parts defensive and defeated. "I was planning to sneak to the dwarf campsite and try to negotiate with Florin."
Val raised one eyebrow but didn't look particularly surprised by this revelation. "I figured as much. You got a look in your eyes last night when Erindil mentioned that the dwarves took his campsite. Like you were going to do something incredibly foolish.”
"It's not foolish,” Sass protested, then immediately winced. "Well, not entirely foolish. Look, Val, I know Florin better than anyone else here. I understand how her mind works, what she values, what might persuade her to leave Wayside alone." She drummed her fingers on her arms. “If I can present myself voluntarily, offer to return the amulet, and givesome explanation of why I left, then she won’t tear the village apart looking for me and she might not insist on retribution against my clan.”
Val considered this, nodding thoughtfully. “That's actually not a terrible plan, but I still can't let you go alone."
"Val—"
"No, hear me out." Val held up one hand to forestall Sass's protests. "You're right that going alone might put you in a better negotiating position. But what happens if Florin decides she doesn't want to negotiate? What if she's more interested in making an example of you than she is in recovering her amulet?”
Sass’s stomach clenched at the thought, but she forced herself to keep her voice steady. "That's a risk I have to take. And that's exactly why I want to go alone. If Florin gets even a whiff of how much I care about this place, about the people here, about…” She left the word unspoken but held Val’s gaze until the guard touched her arm gently. "She'll use it against me. She'll threaten Wayside, threaten my friends, you, anything to get what she wants."
"I've considered that," Val said. "Which is why I'll go as your bodyguard." She gestured to her quilted guard uniform, the leather armor that marked her as a member of the local laird’s defense. "I'm dressed for the part, after all."
Sass opened her mouth to argue further, but Val's reasoning made sense. Florin would respect her coming with a guard. It wouldn't signal personal attachment so much as prudent caution.
"Aye, all right.” The relief that flooded through her at the thought of not facing Florin completely alone surprised Sass. "But you have to promise me something, Val. When we're there, you can't let on that there's anything between us. Not even that we're friends. Be completely detached.”
Val bobbled her head. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have kissed me like you did last night.”
Sass’s jaw dropped. “Me? What about the way you…” She stopped when she noticed Val’s wicked grin and realized the woman was teasing her. She sighed. “If this doesn’t work, this could be the last time I ever kiss you.”
The playfulness immediately drained from Val's expression, and she bent down so that their faces were even. She cupped Sass’s jaw in one hand, tipping the dwarf’s face up so that their quick breaths mingled. “That would be a true crime.”
Sass lost the ability to breathe as Val held her gaze, finally feathering her lips across the dwarf’s slightly agape mouth so briefly that Sass was sure she’d imagined it.
