Cassian watched me fill the mug before replying. “It prevents the inn from receiving business.”
“How do you know that?” I asked.
Cassian’s gaze wandered to the window behind me, and then he smiled at me and set the toast down. “Just a theory. What’s your idea?”
I found it suspicious that he kept avoiding that question, but I didn’t push it. He might have lost trust in me if I badgered him too much. “Can I borrow a gold coin?”
Cassian’s eyebrows furrowed, and he smiled. “This is your plan?”
“I want to test it first,” I explained.
Cassian nodded, holding the toast in his mouth while he dug in his pocket for money. He retrieved one shimmering gold coin and handed it over to me. “What are you going to do, pay me with my own money?”
I examined the coin, and then I fixed my gaze on him again. “This is for breakfast,” I said, offering it to him. He reached for it, and it slipped through my fingers and fell into the piping hot jug of coffee.
Cassian and I both eyed the jug in awe of the magic. “Great, thanks a lot, Turnip,” he said.
I chuckled. “So you could give me the coin for free, but it didn’t make it back to you when I tried to use it to pay you. May I borrow another coin?”
Cassian shot me a flat, teasing glare while he dug for another coin, and I found it difficult to break eye contact. He slapped the coin into my open palm and said, “Don’t drop this one.”
“I’ll try not to,” I replied, pinching it tight between my thumb and forefinger. “Thank you for bringing me breakfast. Unrelated to the provided service, here is a gold coin for you, as a donation.”
I returned the coin to him, and he looked from the coin to me, unimpressed. “How generous.”
I laughed because he was funny, but also because I was proud of myself for finding the loophole. “Don’t you see what this means?”
Cassian squinted at the coin. “I should start begging?”
“No, you may receive business again if you provide free rooms with the option for your guests to donate,” I explained.
Cassian’s eyebrows lifted, and his gaze wandered as he worked out the kinks in the plan. “Free rooms… Do you think anyonewoulddonate?”
“Absolutely. You’d be surprised at the power of community. Some people certainly won’t, but I think most will. Even if you’re earning less, it’s better than nothing.”
“Not necessarily. It costs money to run this place. Limitless free stays would ruin us,” Cassian said, folding his fingers over the coin in his palm.
“How much would it set you back to try it for a few days?” I asked.
“That’s a serious risk to take.”
“If you were in that situation as a customer, would you donate?” I asked.
Cassian hesitated. “I would… but it doesn’t mean other people would.”
“I would,” I add. “Would Griffin? Would Olive? Jasmine?”
Cassian slowly nodded, and then his eyes fixed on me again. “Okay, yeah.” A smile bloomed across his face. “Let’s try it.”
Cassian remained in my room for the rest of breakfast, and I was surprised to miss his company when he left. I usually preferred being alone, but something about him was so comforting.
When I got dressed for the day and found my way to the lobby, Cassian called for a team meeting, dragging Griffin, Olive, and Jasmine to the fireside sofa to discuss the plan.
“Good morning! It’s a new day today, and I have great news!” Cassian said.
“You’re stepping down?” Griffin grunted.
Cassian’s bright mood dimmed immediately. He folded his hands behind his back, clearing his throat before he spoke. “This is Officer Sterling Thorndrop. He’s here to help us break the curse on the inn. This morning, he gave me a great idea.”
