Page 68 of Shadowing Bright
“Nice.I can make things hypothermic or heat them up slowly.”
“I might ask you to do that if we have any meat supplier issues.A speedy but controlled thaw is always welcome.”
Amy smiled.“Are you going to the mansion after the clan event?”
“Yup.”
“I will see you there.”
“Excellent.It’s a lovely building.Vaia probably wants to show it off.”
“Yeah, that’s not really like her.Is it true that there is a living statue on the grounds?”
Krys nodded.“There is the soul of a murdered woman that has been offered safe harbour in a statue crafted by one of Neekil’s brothers.I think those two are dating, and it is for her that I am wedging this napalm hot food into my mouth.I have to come back to do it again with Benko.After the briefing at the mansion.”
“Why are you eating here for the statue?”
“Sable.Her name is Sable.She died before she got to experience much of the world.Lived alone, died alone.Almost no one looked for her when she was murdered.So, I believe it is up to us that let her feel and experience whatever life she missed, if it is within our power.Letting her taste tacos, burritos, and the sweet relief of lemonade is the least we can do.”She smiled.
“Wait.How does she taste it?”
“I had Benko make a charm, I hit it with a primer, and then I asked an acquaintance how to create a spell to do the copying, and now, I am sitting here with a charm in my pocket and eating food that is making my eyes water so that Sable can have a goblin-cooked taco.”
She sipped at the lemonade and shuddered.“I have no capacity for heat, but for a friend, I will do anything.”She kept eating.
Amy looked at her and stared.She finally said, “If you order in English, they give you human-hot.”
Krys looked at her and laughed behind her hand.“That has never occurred to me, and I have been stopping by here for five years.”
Amy laughed and ate her food, pausing to sip at the lemonade and wishing she had one of Emmers’ milkshakes.
When she finished eating, she said, “Why have you been coming here for five years if you don’t like spicy food?”
“Oh, my family’s butcher shop supplies a number of food trucks.I am the rep who gets orders and takes hints about what the businesses are aiming for.Like, the chicken for the quesadillas and chicken tacos.It’s easier for them if the meat is marinated, so that is done before packaging now.They thaw them out ready to go, and their sales are increasing dramatically.”
Amy blinked.“Huh.I hadn’t thought about that.”
“It’s weird minutia like that that makes me a good event organizer.Okay, I will see you at the meeting.”
“Wait.Can I follow you?”
“Sure.Just let me sprint to the building before you get out of your car.I am not supposed to arrive late.”
Amy blinked.“Why?Wait.I know.My birth clan were sticklers for propriety and levels and rules.I just thought Frostfire would be a little more relaxed.”
“Oh, it is, if they know you have frost-related magic.But they don’t because I don’t want myself put in a level above my parents.”
Amy stared.“I get it.I really understand.Well, we had better get going if we don’t want to be late.”
Krys nodded, wadded up her wrappers, and stuffed them into the garbage can, which chortled happily.She returned to the table, snagged her lemonade, and sprinted to her car.“I will wait until you are on my tail.”
Amy smiled and cleaned up, got into her car, and followed Krys’s vehicle at a safe distance as they twisted their way through the city to the event space that doubled as the meeting space.Krys parked at the edge of the lot and then sprinted for the doors.
Amy waited until Krys was inside and then got out of her vehicle and walked to the doors.They were pushed open at her approach, and she smiled as she walked in.Normic and Keel hugged her and welcomed her to sit at the long table at the front of the hall.She looked around and saw Krys way in the back at the second-to-last row.She sighed.
Keel looked at her, but then Normic stood and introduced her as their daughter.Amy stood when Normic nodded to her.“Good evening, all.I am very grateful to the Frostfire clan for taking me on.I am not an easy person, and though I have several useful aspects, I know the feeling of being rejected for lack of acceptable magic.The wave gave me what genetics should have, and the pain of being thought of as lesser was my life until that moment.I do not differentiate between those with magic and not, because a sudden wave can change everything, and no one wants to make an enemy of family.So, if anyone wants to chat, I am always up for a good conversation.Thank you.”She sat down again.
Krys was grinning in the back.
