"Grognick's beard, it's cold enough to freeze off a dwarf's whiskers," Sass announced as she pushed through the kitchen doors, her dark braid slightly askew and her eyes still heavy with sleep. But there was excitement there too, twinkling beneath the grogginess. "Is that chai I smell?"
"Almost ready," Lira said, nodding toward the pot that was beginning to simmer.
Sass moved to stand near the stove, holding her hands out toward the warmth. She wore a sturdy brown skirt and cream blouse, but Lira detected a hint of the rosewater perfume the village apothecary had given her.
"Val coming by today?" Lira asked.
The tips of Sass's pointed ears turned pink. “Aye, she's on duty tonight for the festival, but she said she might stop by this afternoon."
That was a yes, Lira thought, fighting back a smile as she returned to her shortbread dough.
“Might?” Korl made a rumbling sound that could have been a chuckle, and Sass shot him a look that would have withered a lesser orc. But Korl just shrugged his massive shoulders and bent over to check the stove.
Lira grinned at Korl’s rare, teasing comment. The orc knew few people as well as he knew his fellow guard, Val, since the two had grown up together. That also meant he knew better than most how Val felt about Sass and that she needed little excuse to visit her girlfriend.
Crumpet chittered from his perch on the copper pot rack overhead, and Sass looked up at him with grudging affection. "You're in high spirits this morning, you wee menace."
The flutter-stoat spread his feathered wings in response, shaking them out before tucking them back against his body with an air of great satisfaction.
Lira poured the chai into earthenware mugs, the steam rising in fragrant curls. She handed one to Sass, who wrapped both hands around it and inhaled deeply.
"This is perfect," Sass said after taking a sip. "Just what I needed."
They stood together in the warming kitchen, the three of them and Crumpet, as the world outside the window slowly lightened from indigo to rose to gold. Lira sipped her chai as contentment nestled in her chest.
Sass tossed her braid off her shoulder and walked to the window where she assessed the snow and wrinkled her nose. “Smells like there’s more snow coming.”
Since the dwarf had grown up in the Ice Lands, Lira didn’t doubt her. “I hope not before the festival.”
Sass sniffed. “A blizzard would put a damper on the bonfire.”
Lira almost dropped the mug of chai she was handing to Korl. “A blizzard?”
Sass flapped a hand, setting down her mug and shoving up her sleeves. “Forget I mentioned anything. Snowfall is as mercurial as a dwarf with an empty stomach, which I have, by the way.” She lifted a brow. “Any chance of something to eat that isn’t meant for tonight?”
Lira gestured to her ingredients. "I was going to start with the spice shortbread, then whip up a batch of crumpets for our breakfast.”
“I suppose Pip wasn’t selling lemon sweet rolls when you came in?” Sass asked, her gaze sweeping over the table as if looking for a bakery bag.
“Nor pumpkin ones,” Korl said.
Lira sighed. “It looked like he was busy at work when we passed, but I suspect he’s preparing his solstice treats. I don’t know if he’ll be serving his usual loaves of bread and sweet rolls.”
Sass muttered something about crumpets sufficing in a pinch, which made Lira laugh.
“I hope you aren’t planning on hovering until the crumpets are ready.”
Sass sniffed and took another swallow of chai as she backed out of the kitchen. “I suppose I’ll start the fire in the hearth then get busy finishing our decorations.”
Lira shook her head once the dwarf had gone. Sass loved little more than eating, but she didn’t have the patience for baking.
Korl still hovered nearby, clearly wanting to help but uncertain how. Lira handed him a handful of cinnamon sticks and a smaller empty bowl. "Can you grate these for me?”
He took the bowl, tilting his head as he eyed the brown curls. Then he took one of the cinnamon sticks and crushed it in his enormous hand over the smaller bowl. The cinnamon bark shattered into crumbs and powder, cascading into the bowl below.
Lira blinked at him before grinning. “Well, that’s one way to do it.”
As Korl squeezed another of the brown sticks until he had a pile of the sweet spice.
