As Vaskel chewed the decadent cookie, savoring every sticky morsel, his mind spinning. It was rich and filled with intense flavor. Maybe it was just rich enough to mask the flavor of a potion.
Vaskel reached for another cookie straight off the pan, holding it up. “Maybe we don’t have to get Marina to drink the potion. Maybe we can get her to eat it.”
Thirty
“So let me get this straight,”Sass said from where she swung her legs on the stool. “The plan is for me to snatch a hair from the hellkin’s head that will go in the potion that Iris is brewing in her back room. Then when that’s done brewing, Lira will bake it into some cookies that both you and Marina will need to eat.”
Now that he heard the plan out loud, Vaskel didn’t feel like it was so simple.
“If we don’t want her to suspect anything, I might need to add something to the cookies.” Lira tapped a finger on her chin. “Something else to mask the flavor.”
“Dwarven food uses a lot of garlic,” Sass said.
“In cookies?” Lira wrinkled her nose.
Sass twitched one shoulder. “In everything really.”
“Another reason you never hear of great chefs being dwarves,” Lira said under her breath.
“Heard that!” Sass slid off her stool and landed on the wooden floor with a thud.
“I was thinking about something sweeter but with enough of a kick to hide any noxious flavor.” Lira turned to her shelves and scanned her stores of ingredients. “Maybe spiced rum.”
Vaskel snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it.”
Both women turned to him.
“Rosie’s apple brandy, of course,” he said.
Lira pulled him into a quick embrace and gave him a hard kiss on the cheek. “Vask, you’re a genius. Rosie’s apple brandy could strip paint off a wagon. It will be the perfect way to mask the potion.”
“It will ruin your cookies, though,” he said, which was truly a shame since the hot cocoa cookies were perfect.
Lira brushed aside his worry with a flick of her hand. “I’ll make a new recipe just for Marina.” She grinned at him. “But I’ll make it delicious since you’ll have to eat it too.”
She turned to her two woodland assistants and clapped her hands. “Okay, boys, new task. We have to find the perfect ingredients to go in a chocolate brandy cookie.”
Bramble headed for the open window while Crumpet flew to eye the highest shelves.
“We have a day to perfect it,” Vaskel reminded them before pivoting to Sass. “But less time to get Marina’s hair.”
“Don’t you worry your pretty, red head about it.” Sass patted him roughly on the arm as she turned toward the door. “I’ve got it well in hand.”
Pretty, red head?Vaskel mouthed to Lira as Sass strode from the kitchen.
Lira giggled and shrugged as Vaskel called after Sass. “I thought you were going to get it from her tonight.”
He followed Sass into the great room, which was still blessedly empty aside from the crackling fire. “I doubt she’ll be here until Thrain brings her in tonight.”
Sass rolled her eyes. “I’m not waiting for that when the clock is ticking.” She untied her apron and tossed it onto the bar top. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Wait!” Vaskel chased after her as she took quick steps toward the door. “You’re going to find Marina?”
She pushed through the front door. “That’s right. How hard can it be to find the only female hellkin currently in Wayside?”
“Is your plan to walk up to her and yank a hair from her head without her noticing?”
Sass paused once they were outside. “I haven’t finalized my plan yet. Sometimes the best tunnels are the ones you didn’t set out to dig.” She held up a chubby finger. “But never underestimate a dwarf.”
