“I’m sure I shall.”
“Here we are,” he said, guiding me into a long banquet hall where portraits of feasts and bowls of fruit adorned the hall. “Sit anywhere you like, and your plate will automatically fill with anything your heart desires.”
As I headed to a chair, Rahil jumped ahead of me and pulled it out for me. Just as he’d claimed it would, the plate in front of me immediately filled with all my favorite foods. There were eggs loaded with mushrooms and hot peppers, berries with cream, and chunks of dragon fruit.
“That’s amazing,” I said, impressed against my will. “How does it do that?”
“It’s the dragon enchantment at work,” he said, sitting across from me and waiting for his own plate to fill as well. “Fascinating creatures, dragons. Do you know much about them?”
“No. They’re native to Rookwyn and the Shadowed Mountains, aren’t they?”
“You’re correct. They occasionally pass through Brisden, but it’s populous enough here that there aren’t many lonely caves for them to nest in.”
“How did you get one to enchant your house?”
“By bribing it with a great sum of money,” Rahil said with another toothy smile behind that bluish beard. “I have almost limitless resources. You’re a lucky woman.”
I raised my glass. “I am indeed.” I examined his plate. “Do you not eat peppers? I assumed they were customary with most breakfasts, and these are particularly fine.”
He curled his lip. “I wouldn’t know; I’m not fond of peppers. They’re too spicy for me. I prefer sweeter foods.”
“Your loss,” I said with a shrug, and raised my glass tomy lips. As I drank, a loud rapping came from the front door.
Rahil frowned. “I wasn’t expecting anyone.” He turned to me. “Did you tell anyone to come?”
“No,” I said, nervous for some unknown reason. Nadia was in a holding cell, and my few potion clients would never come looking for me.
“Stay here,” Rahil ordered, and went to answer the door.
The moment he was out of sight, I followed after him, treading softly in the hope that he wouldn’t hear my footsteps.
“—just want to see her and make sure she’s doing well,” a familiar creaky voice was saying.
“What are you suggesting?” Rahil answered coolly. “That I might harm my wife? Turning up uninvited on the day after a wedding is rather rude, you know.”
“I’ve known her a long time and I care about her,” the old man said.
I emerged from around the corner and smiled. “Father Eldridge, it’s good to see you.”
The minister’s face relaxed. “Alia! I was so worried about you.”
“I missed seeing you at the wedding yesterday,” I told him. “I had hoped you would attend.”
His wizened old face fell. “I couldn’t. I?—”
“I understand,” I said quickly before turning to Rahil. “This is Father Eldridge, who runs the worship center in town. He served me and my sister more meals than I could count, and his wife was the one who taught me to read. I owe him a great deal.”
Rahil’s smile didn’t reach his eyes as he rotated his wedding ring before reaching out to clasp the minister’shand. “In that case, you can expect to see a sizeable donation from us within a week.”
I threw a sharp, surprised look at Rahil, as did the old minister.
“She owes us no debt,” Eldridge hastened to say, but Rahil waved away his protests.
“I’m aware that you serve those in need out of the kindness of your heart. I always think that kindness is to be rewarded, don’t you, dear?” His hand crept up to my waist.
“If anyone deserves to be rewarded, it’s Eldridge and his wife,” I answered. “That’s very generous of you to offer, Rahil. Thank you.”
Rahil’s smile widened. “I’m a generous man. I don’t know why people think otherwise. In fact, I take great joy in gifting the best in life to those who have had little. Something we have in common, Father.”
