Page 42 of Of Potions and Honey
“You don’t have to stick your whole face into it.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Just because Poppy does it doesn’t mean it’s acceptable table manners.”
Mira rolled her eyes in mock offence. “Next you’ll be telling me I can’t eat the roast in two bites.”
“You’re welcome to try,” Yoni said dryly. “You’ll be happy to hear that I know exactly what to do when somebody chokes on their food. I hear it’s incredibly unpleasant to receive.”
Mira sighed deeply. “Fine, I’ll behave.”
“Trust me, it’s much better for your own enjoyment.”
As it turned out, Yoni was very much right about that. Bite for bite, the food was perfection. Still, Mira found ample time to talk. Whatever that odd moment earlier had been, it was gone again, for the most part. Those first few dinners when she’d joined her and Kayden, Mira had felt a little like a third wheel. She hadn’t been, that much had become clear very soon, and Kayden had a way of making anyone feel welcome. Without him here, things were undeniably a little different, though Mira couldn’t say that she minded very much. It was nice to see Yoni so relaxed without Kayden and his jokes around to make that happen. Like she’d finally gotten comfortable with Mira. Perhaps Marigold was rubbing off on her, figuratively as much as literally.
“That was. A little too much.”
Mira leaned back against the bench, hands folded over her stomach. Maybe she should have stopped a few bites earlier. Yoni did not seem to have the same problem, though she was carrying significantly more bulk around than Mira was. And those muscles had to come from somewhere, didn’t they.
“Youcouldhave left the bread,” Yoni pointed out. “At least the second slice.”
“And leave all that delicious gravy on the plate?” Mira pressed a hand to her chest. “Over my dead body!”
“Suit yourself. I’m not slowing down for you on the way home.”
“Abandoning me to the wolves! How cruel!”
Yoni rolled her eyes. “I’ll find you a big stick to hit the big, bad wolves, don’t worry.”
Mira smiled her widest smile. “Aww, that’s so sweet. I didn’t know you cared so much!”
“Kayden’s going to yell at me if I let you keel over in the gutter.”
“Ah, of course.” Mira snorted and managed to sit up straight, with some difficulty and a groan. “Well, don’t worry, a little walk will help, I’m sure.”
At least she hoped so. When they paid and left the inn, she was very much not feeling like keeping pace with Yoni tonight. Too bad Kayden hadn’t shown up, he’d probably taken pity on her and given her a ride home. Had it really taken him that long to fix the well issue, or had he just decided to call it a night and head home rather than eat late?
“Should I roll you up the street, or can you at least still walk?”
Yoni was standing at the corner, a hand on her hip. But she was waiting. Mira hurried to catch up, as much as she was in a state to hurry, anyway.
“Sorry. No rolling, just… slow? Please?”
“Fine. Can’t let you roll right into a wolf’s den.”
No matter what she’d said earlier, Yoni was kind enough to match her pace to Mira’s, which Mira was ludicrously grateful for. Going as slowly as they did, it was a pleasant walk through a mild summer night that carried the fragrance of flowers and damp soil. Hands in her pockets, Mira kept her eyes on the stars as they walked.
“They’re so bright here,” she mused. “You can see a lot less of them in the city.”
“Mhm.” Yoni sounded distracted. “They used to be even brighter when I was a child.”
“Everything’s brighter then, I think.”
A quite laugh. “Listen to you, a writer and a philosopher.”
Mira grinned. “Hardly. Just noticing some things here and there.”
Like the way, she now realised, that Yoni looked right now. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen her quite like this, with her guard down and her shoulders relaxed, an expression on her face that Mira might have described as ‘tranquil’.
