“The coffeeisexcellent.”
“I probably should move my things to the room. Sleeping on a cement floor isn’t that comfortable, and Jildarin… Well, he hasn’t given me any indication that he wants company in his lair.”
“Does he still call youmy enemyand squint suspiciously at you on an hourly basis?”
“Nothourly.” Rylana wished she could say that he was no longer suspicious of her at all, but she remembered him checking her hands for weapons when her intent had been amorous, not murderous. “Someone’s after him, too, by the way. He has a reason to be on edge, a bigger reason than the memory of my arrow gouging his temple. Judging by the quality or lack thereof of the graffiti last night, it probably isn’t the elves who are after him. I don’t think your people could draw something crude if they tried.”
“Elves are rarely crude in any art form.”
“I’m thinking of trying to help Jildarin by figuring out who wants him out of the city and the Golden Whisk. I doubt he’ll tell me the names of his competitors though. Even if he did, I’m not sure how I would investigate them. Show up at their kitchens and ask questions?” Rylana pulled out the folded piece of newspaper with Yerin’s review that she’d kept from the day before. She’d meant to share it with Jildarin but had forgotten to during the busyness of the evening. Now, she spread it on the table and tapped it thoughtfully. “I wonder if Yerin would give me a list of the competitors. I told you we were neighbors when I was growingup, right? We weren’t exactly friends, but I know his family and where he lives.”
Rylana grimaced at the idea of taking the ferry to the west side of the lake and being that close to her family’s castle. What if her father saw her? What would she say? And what would he think if she blurted that she hadn’t come, after the years without communication of any kind, to see him but to check in with a neighbor?
Rylana rubbed her face. If she intended to stay in Tranquility, sooner or later, she would have to visit him, but she would prefer to put it off until later.
Sylin turned the review around so that she could read it. “It looks like he enjoyed the food. Maybe he would want to keep a fine dragon chef in the city.”
“Yeah. Like you pointed out, it says something about Yerin’s character that he wrote a good review, right? When you suggested he was honorable, I was skeptical, but maybe he grew into a decent guy.”
“I merely said that might be the case, but I don’t know him. Nor did my bicycle suffer the affliction that yours did.”
“I don’t imagine there were many bicycles in the woods with the wolves.”
“Very few.” Sylin took another sip, made another contented noise, and looked around. “I hope the elves will forget about me soon. I’d intended to stay in Tranquility for a while before moving on, to make sure you’re able to settle in, naturally.” She picked up one of several cookies that had come with her cup, more than typical, doubtless due to the generous tip.
“Did you become especially interested in staying long enough to ensure I settle in after you discovered this coffee shop?”
“Oh, yes.”
They sipped their drinks in silence for a few moments, and Rylana perused the newspaper review for a second time. Sylin alternated between closing her eyes in appreciation as she savoredher coffee and peering toward the windows and doors to make sure no enemies were sneaking up on her. Since her hood was down, her dark green hair would stand out to anyone peering in. Even among elves, it was a rare hue. Rylana knew her comrade wore head and face coverings when she worked, so anyone who glimpsed her wouldn’t easily identify her, but thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea for her to keep her face hidden even when she was sipping coffee.
“He didn’t mention any of the ingredients, at least in the review.” Rylana recalled that Yerin had been scribbling guesses into his notes when she’d walked up to his table.
“Hm?” Sylin asked.
“At the time, I thought he might be writing down ingredients so that he could include them in his review, but this only talks about tastes and the dining experience. Do you think Yerin might have opted to critique the diner as an excuse to scout the competition for the Golden Whisk?”
“The Golden what?”
“Whisk.” Rylana made a vigorous stirring motion. “Didn’t I tell you about it? It’s the name of the cooking competition. I wonder if Jildarin would have allowed his competitor to dine there if not for Yerin’s status as a food critic. He has a temper and is quick to boot people out, though usually for… other reasons.”
“Ah.” Sylin gazed out the window, looking a little bored with the conversation, but Rylana needed to work through this and figure out who was sending peacekeepers by the diner regularly, especially at a time when graffiti could have prompted Jildarin to disobey the law and turn into a dragon. Besides, it wasn’t as if she wanted to ask Sylin any questions aboutherrecent activities.
“Of course, Jildarin is very focused when he’s at work,” Rylana murmured, “and he seems to value honor.”
“Dragons tend to do that, yes.”
“It might not have occurred to him that a desire tospybroughta competitor to visit. I don’t even know if he sees Yerin as a threat. Maybe Ishouldvisit him.” Rylana had been considering that already, if for different reasons, but nodded, the idea firming up in her mind. “Do you think he has a place here in town or still lives across the lake on the family estate?” she mused, more to herself than Sylin, who hadn’t met Yerin.
“I’m certain I don’t know.” Sylin’s gaze turned thoughtful as she regarded Rylana. “Is there a reason you’re working so hard to help this dragon? We’ve established it’s not the pay.”
“I know, but…”
But what? Why had Rylana come so quickly to care about Jildarin's fate?
The night before, he’d come out to check on her—to help her with the elves—and that meant something. But she’d been trying to fix the profitability woes of his business from the beginning. Maybe part of it was that she liked a challenge and had felt listless simply traveling the world and seeing the sights. She’d had a lack of purpose since leaving the Moon Daggers. But maybe part of it was…
Sylin raised her eyebrows.
