He turned and disappeared down the street, and after a moment, the big dire-cat slunk after him like a too-large shadow.
* * *
A few days later,after the doors and windows had been fitted, two enormous crates arrived on a large wagon, and with them, some unexpected visitors.
Roon and Gallina sat side-by-side on the buckboard.
“Are those what I think they are?” asked Viv. Gnomish print rimmed the edges, and they certainly looked the right size to contain two new ovens.
“Depends, I guess,” said Roon, easing downward and dropping the last foot to the cobbles. Viv went to give Gallina a hand, but the gnome flashed her a sharp look and leapt to the street with great grace.
“It was your girl behind it,” said Gallina, glancing toward Tandri, who emerged from the shop, still too far away to hear their conversation.
“Mygirl?” Viv echoed in a low voice.
Gallina shrugged and looked smug.
“You brought them!” said Tandri. When she saw Viv’s face, she faltered a little, her steps suddenly uncertain.
“Did you order these? Tandri, how in the eight hells did you get enough–!”
“Little donation from us both,” interrupted Roon, nodding at Gallina. He patted the flank of one of the pair of horses.
“Tandri sent a letter. Let us know what happened,” said Gallina.
Viv looked at Tandri, thinking of the Stone. “Everything?”
Tandri took a breath, and firmly said, “Everything.”
“So youbothknow about the Scalvert’s Stone?” she asked her old comrades.
“Who gives a shit?” Gallina waved a hand like it was irrelevant.
Viv supposed it was.
“Fennus,” Roon snarled with sudden savagery.
“Have you seen him, then?” asked Viv.
“Not in weeks,” replied Gallina. “Didn’t part on thebestof terms. Man’s always been a bit of a prick, but this?” The gnome shook her head angrily.
“Can’t abide a welcher,” supplied Roon. “Anyhow, help me wrestle these down, eh?”
Viv and Roon unloaded both crates and left them for Cal to unbox in the morning.
Roon left to stable the wagon. Viv couldn’t help but be amused, given that they stood in front of an old livery.
“So,” said Gallina. The three of them leaned against the crates while Viv caught her breath. The little gnome withdrew a dagger from one of the myriad places she stowed them and toyed with it idly. “Fennus. I know you didn’t wanna dirty your hands before, andI admit, that seems to’ve worked out fine. Sort of. Apart from this shit. But.” She leaned around Viv and waggled her blade at Tandri. “I know you’re all…non-violent, but ya can’t tell me it wouldn’t be a good idea to take just a finger or three. Can ya?”
Tandri snorted and made a show of stretching her back. “Don’t askme. I’m too sore to be objective.”
Viv stroked her chin. “You know, if that old man was right, we might not have to.”
“Old man?” Gallina frowned at them.
“This grandfatherly gnome. You know the type. Very mysterious. He said the stone doesn’t work the way I thought it did. What’d he say about it…?”
“It draws like to like,” recited Tandri.
