Squaring my shoulders, I nodded to myself and forged ahead. Eventually, I reached the alley. Thankfully, no one had thought to come this way, so the path to the side door was clear. I threw it open and ran inside to a tornado of pots and pans and bean splatters on the wall. Nilsa screamed and threw up her arms to shield her face.
“Shhh, it’s only Lilia,” Herold said, pulling Nilsa to their chest. The two dwarves were huddling together with their backs against the kitchen door, clearly hiding from the chaotic crowd.
“Lilia?” Sniffing, Nilsa peered around Herold’s protective arm. Tears streaked her face, dribbling onto the front of her apron.
“Oh, Nilsa.” I crossed the kitchen in two quick strides and fell to my knees before her. “Are you hurt?”
“No, no. Just a little rattled is all. Did you see what happened?” She scrubbed her cheeks with the bottom of her stained apron.
“Yes, it seems everyone has gone a bit feral.” At the pounding of more fists on the kitchen door, I jumped to my feet and glared at the wood rattling on its hinges. I reached over Nilsa and slammed my fist right back. “Stop that! You won’t get any food if you keep it up!”
The hammering ceased. The three of us waited with bated breath. When the pounding didn’t resume, Nilsa sagged against the door. The bells in her hair jingled sadly.
“The past few days have been so…dreary. I just wanted to do something nice for everyone,” she muttered.
“And you did. It’s not your fault things got a little out of hand,” Herold said, lovingly brushing the wispy strands of Nilsa’s hair out of her eyes. Then they looked up at me. “Is there anything you can do?”
“I can tell them all to bugger off, if you’d like,” I said with more bravado than was warranted. How would I make the crowd listen to me, of all people?
Nilsa threw up her hands, moaning. “But all this food. I don’t want it to go to waste.”
I looked around the kitchen. Empty burlap sacks were piled in one corner, and several crates of vegetables were empty, too. Steffon had given a lot of the cavern’s food to Nilsa’s inn. It was likely needed, too, with how much the two of them had been feeding everyone.
“Where’s your elf friend?” Herold asked, scratching their beard. “He’s big and burly. Maybe they’ll listen to him.”
I sighed. “Ragnar? I lost him in the crowd.”
Nilsa’s face brightened at Ragnar’s name. “Herold’s right. If you can find him, I bet he can help calm everyone down.”
Suddenly, a loud banging erupted from the taproom. Nilsa winced, clearly imagining the damage she would find when she opened up that door. When another boom quickly followed the first, she stared at me with pleading eyes.
I held up my hands and backed toward the outer door. “All right, I’ll try to find him, but I can’t make any promises.”
But as I pushed outside, a nagging thought prodded the back of my mind. Why hadn’t Ragnar come looking forme? He knew Nilsa and I were close friends, and when he couldn’t spot me in the crowd, he’d know I’d go straight to her side to check on her. He would look for me in the kitchen. Wouldn’t he?
He’d want to know I was all right.
Except…he hadn’t.
My heart throbbed painfully in my chest. Perhaps I’d gotten this whole thing wrong.
I shook my head and walked the length of the alley. No matter. We had less than a week left together, and none of this would be more than a memory years down the line.
When I reached the edge of the courtyard, the crowd had already begun to disperse. Those who remained looked tired and disappointed, casting rueful glances at the inn, where Steffon and a few other shadow demons blocked the door.
It was all under control it seemed, even if a dark cloud had settled over the celebration.
But then the screams began.
29
LILIA
The acrid scent of smoke tore through the courtyard. Terrified shouts echoed from down the road. Heart leaping into my throat, I raced toward the festival, letting my ears lead the way. The closer I drew to the meadow, the more people rushed past me, running in the opposite direction. Fear etched every face.
I spotted an elven woman fleeing with a basket of bread in her hands. Quickly, I darted in front of her.
“What’s happening?” I asked, catching my balance when a fleeing dwarf nearly bowled me over.
