She hadn’t known Mrs. Knox was hoping to give the shop to someone someday. Maybe to her.
“I hope that isn’t too much pressure,” said Mrs. Knox when Charlotte didn’t say anything. “It’s all a long way off. You could get married and move away between now and then. But for what it’s worth, I’m glad I took you on. You have a knack for it, baking.”
“I’ve got something new I’ve been trying out,” admitted Charlotte. She hadn’t planned on telling Mrs. Knox about the brownies until the recipe was perfected, but the moment felt right. “It’s not quite ready yet, but I think you’ll like it once it is. You don’t have to sell it or anything.”
Mrs. Knox turned away from her biscuit dough to look at Charlotte. The flour dusting her cheeks didn’t conceal their rosy glow of pride in her apprentice. “I’m sure I’ll love it. I can’t wait to try it.”
Later that day, Charlotte opened the shop, but the usual morning rush didn’t arrive.
“That’s odd,” said Mrs. Knox. “We were so busy all last week. It’s usually our busiest time of the year, the lead up to Winter Solstice. I wonder where they all are.”
Charlotte left her spot behind the counter and walked out into the street. There were people coming and going in their winter coats and scarves, parcels and packages in hand as they went from store to store and into the market square beyond, stocking up for the Solstice. A light snow had begun to fall, but that didn’t seem to deter any of the crowds from anywhere but the bakery.
There was something odd, though. Charlotte could smell baking—croissants or some other very buttery pastry, to be exact—coming from across the street.
“See anything?” asked Mrs. Knox, who had come out to join her.
Charlotte pointed to the shop. It had long been empty, but now a queue had formed outside the door.
“It looks like they’ve finished moving in, then. I saw a carriage unloading last week, but they had gone before I could greet them. Can you read the sign from here?”
“Cheese Shop, it says,” said Charlotte. The sign hanging above the door was new and hastily painted. “There’s something else in small letters.”
She crossed the street to get a better look.
“And Baked Goods,” called back Charlotte, her heart sinking.
Who would move in and open a bakery right across the street from Mrs. Knox’s?
Charlotte moved towards the door. Nigel Smalls, the bard she often ran into at the inn, was waiting in the queue.
“Bad luck about the shop, but I’ve heard the cheese croissants are to die for. I had to come and try them for myself. Nothing against Mrs. Knox, of course, but it is nice to have something new now and again,” he said, clapping Charlotte on the shoulder cordially.
Charlotte shook off Nigel’s hand and peered into the window.
There behind the counter, handing out cheese croissant after cheese croissant, was someone she thought she’d never see again.
Julian.
Chapter Three
GIFTS AND SURPRISES
Rinka
The journey to Wilderise aboard HMSDelphine, the flagship of King Derkomai’s navy, was a far-cry from the ferry Rinka and Idris had taken over the summer.
TheDelphinewas less a battleship and more a floating parade, a grand, opulent display of the wealth and power of Loegria and of the king’s might and influence. She was equipped with luxurious quarters for traveling courtiers and diplomats, her dining hall catered elegant meals with fresh ingredients from its latest port of call, and there was even a live band that played after dinner concluded.
Rinka enjoyed her time aboard so much that she regretted that the journey itself was so much quicker—theDelphinemoved at twice the speed of the ferry.
But Rinka and Idris had not chosen to ride with theDelphinefor its luxury or its speed. TheDelphinewas equipped with something very important for Rinka’s present mission: aDIALSsystem; DI(stance) A(nd) L(ocation) at S(ea).
The only thing that might help Rinka find the mermaids that saved their lives.
TheDIALSsystem was intended to spot enemy vessels, particularly the underwater vessels the dwarves on the continentpreferred. But since Loegria was still technically at peace—Idris explained that that was becoming more of a technicality as tensions rose in the continent, although so far, Loegria had managed to keep out of it—theDIALSsystem had gone unused for some time. It turned out the Admiral in charge was only too happy to putDIALSinto use once more, and he made no comment about the frivolity of the mission.
“Got your sea legs under you yet, my lady?” asked Idris when he joined Rinka on the deck. It was freezing cold outside, but Rinka had found it stuffy in the bridge with the naval officers.
