“A dragon and an elf, killed by a bit of a rough landing? You do exaggerate,” replied Ceri.
Keir looked like he wanted to say something regarding the tendency of all people to break under enough force, but he wiselykept his mouth shut. It was better to let Ceri and Idris squabble themselves out. Interfering could cause them to gang up against you.
“Did everyone else make it alright?” asked Ceri. “I’ve got to go back for Groundskeeper Tomasar and Barney. The roads through the mountains outside of Sudport are impassable. It’s still snowing back there.”
Alison counted off the out-of-town guests on her hands. “I think that’s everyone from Loegria once you bring Tomasar and Barney. Will they be okay to fly?”
“Tomasar is going to be terrified, but he’s been terrified this entire trip. He’ll manage with Barney there to comfort him,” said Leo.
“Bless him,” said Alison. “It was so good of him to come. I know he’s really doing it for Willow.”
“It’s good for him to get out and see something other than that tree of his,” said Leo. “I mean, it’s a wonderful tree. Incredible magical properties. I’ve been measuring it quite a lot lately—”
“I’m heading out, darling,” said Ceri, sparing the rest of them from one of Leo’s lectures. “Je t’adore.”
Idris mimed gagging gestures behind her back.
“Oh, stop,” said Rinka. “You’re worse than she is.”
“And proud of it,” said Idris, kissing Rinka for so long as to make everyone else uncomfortable. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” she said.
“And I missed you too,” said Keir, making kissy noises at Idris. Alison loved to see them together. It brought out a playful side of Keir she rarely got to enjoy.
“Come on,” said Idris. “Let’s get back to town. We’ve got a wild night ahead of us.”
“What do you mean?” asked Alison.
“It’s your stag and hen nights!” said Rinka. “You didn’t think we’d let you get married without a proper send off, did you?”
“Gods save us,” said Keir.
By the time they made it back to Herot’s Hollow, Ceri had already arrived with Tomasar and Barney. The dog was playing chase with Willow and Dinah out in front of the inn, and the old dwarf was enjoying a pint at the bar with…Alison’s mother?
“Mum?” asked Alison when she saw her. Could this really be her mother, drinking at a bar with a stranger?
“There you are,” said Violet. Violet Lennox had a few more wrinkles around her green eyes than when Alison had seen her last, but she had also filled out a bit. She looked good, relaxed and comfortable in her skin. “They told me you were out there catching things on fire with magic. I know you weren’t fond of number-crunching, but I hadn’t realized you’d turn to pyromania.”
Was that a joke? Was her mother actually joking?
Who was this woman, and what had she done with Violet Lennox?
“Your mother tells me she’s due to retire from Gorluz Manufacturing,” said Tomasar. “I was just telling her about Norgate.”
“I’d like to see this yew of his. I told him I’ve never seen so many trees in my life as there are out here!”
“I’m glad you’re having a good time, Mum. Did Auntie Rose and Eloise make it in alright?”
“Oh, yes. Rose is upstairs unpacking, and Eloise is going around town with an orc boy.”
Brytak hadn’t blown it yet, then. Keir was about to be out five gold.
Although come tomorrow, it would technically be both of their gold. So Alison and Keir would be out five gold to Rinka, she supposed.
Alison went around the inn, checking that everyone else was accounted for. She spotted Yordin and his family with Gwenla.
“Good job getting them all back here,” said Gwenla. “Say, have you seen Charlotte come down the mountain yet?”
