“I’ll go get dressed.” And then she was gone.
Skoll sat on his haunches and stared at me. There was judgement in his yellow eyes. Or was it encouragement? Fuck, I needed to focus. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her body, though I’d been careful to avert my gaze when she’d been hurt. And when Ihadlooked at her that night, I’d been so focused on that damn shard…
No matter. Today’s task loomed too large to get distracted by this kind of thing. Despite Gregor’s sabotage, we’d done well in the first challenge, but we needed to win the next one. It was the only way to stop Isveig from getting his giant claws into this place.
* * *
Mornings at the Dreaming Dragon Inn were quieter affairs than the boisterous evening revels. The village of Wyndale, being as small as it was most of the year, didn’t boast of a variety of delis, restaurants, and taverns. So if one wanted to break his fast somewhere other than at home, the Dreaming Dragon Inn was the place to do it.
A bell jangled on the door as I pushed inside, Daella just behind me. There were about a dozen patrons scattered around the many tables, each quietly digging into a full breakfast. Being a shadow demon, Elma’s specialty was khlea—some dried meat—and fried eggs, along with olives, soft cheese, and bread to scoop it all up. The inn was the only place on Hearthaven to serve it. She’d won the Midsummer Games several years back and asked the island for a steady supply of ingredients, since olives didn’t naturally grow around here. Food was always readily available, even if we still had to farm it.
Daella and I sat across from each other at a table along the back wall. Elma swung by only a moment later, wiping her hands on her faded brown apron. She shot me a smile but pointedly ignored Daella. Shadows pulsed from her skin.
“Morning, Rivelin. Rarely see you in here. What can I get you?”
“Elma, this is Daella, my assistant for the Games.”
She pursed her red-painted lips and glanced at Daella. “Yes. The murk from Fafnir.”
“Who saved Kari’s life.” I nodded at the corner where Kari quietly ate her meal alone. Every now and again, the red-headed elf cast a quick glance our way.
“Ah, yes. That is true.” Elma’s face softened a little. “Well, I suppose it’s nice to meet you, Daella, but I hope you don’t plan on telling your emperor about us. Otherwise, I’m going to have to kick you out again, even if you do have coin and one of my favorite patrons this time.”
To my surprise, Daella laughed. “You’re very blunt.”
Elma grinned. “Gotta be, running a place like this. You should see what some of the rowdy dwarves try to pull in the evenings. They can sometimes get rather handsy, if you know what I mean.”
“Something tells me you put them in their place easily enough.”
“That I do. That I do. Now what can I get you? Can’t say I know how to do a traditional orcish breakfast, but I can do a Full Eggs and Bacon—that’s what the humans like—or I’ve got the one from my homeland. Demonika Breakfast.”
“I’ll have the Demonika Breakfast, thanks.”
“The same for me,” I said.
After Elma bustled off, I lowered my voice. “Where did that come from?”
“Where did what come from?”
“You charmed Elma.”
“Well.” She smirked, folded her arms, and leaned back in the chair. “Sometimes I can be quite charming. Sorry you don’t know what that’s like.”
“Bet I could charm you.”
Daella’s eyes widened just a fraction of an inch. “Funny. Here I thought you’d already been trying. And failing miserably.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Daella smiled—a real one that crinkled the skin around her eyes and brought a brightness to her face—and I didn’t think she’d even realized she’d done it. And I knew, without a doubt, if she returned to Fafnir, she’d never smile like that again.
Instantly, my mood darkened and I remembered why we were here. I motioned Elma back over. I’d forgotten to ask her when she’d taken our order.
“Need something else, Riv?” she asked more sweetly than she had the last time.
“I was showing Daella the mountains yesterday, and we didn’t get back to Wyndale in time to hear the details of the Fildur Trial. Mind filling us in?”
“Oh, right.” She nodded. “Heard you weren’t there. Gregor got excited, thinking you’d forfeited.”
“Absolutely not,” Daella said, sitting up straighter in her chair.
