Page 19 of Morel Dilemma

“A dragon! That strange dragon chef?”

“Yes, but he’s delightful, not strange. Not unpleasantly strange, anyway. And he’s my business partner. Speaking of that…” Rylana finished her latte and stood. “I’ve got to go. A business matter awaits.” She pointed at the diner. “I’ll let Father know personally if there are any changes to my relationship status.”

Frowning, Tharla peered through the window. But, with her message delivered, she didn’t try to keep Rylana from leaving.

“Are you here on business, by chance,” Rylana asked when she joined Layothlee outside the diner, “to keep me from being a liar?”

“I could order a plate of the mushrooms. I’ve heard they’re good.” Layothlee held up an envelope with a wax seal in the shape of a maple leaf. It wasn’t addressed to anyone. “I came because I was instructed to deliver this to your elven comrade. It contains a ticket for the ballet and is good for any performance during our two-week schedule. I’m skeptical that it will be utilized, given the unabashed aims of the local elves here, but…” She shrugged and extended the envelope.

“Sylin isn’t in the city anymore.” Rylana didn’t look in the direction of the boutique where she’d last seen her elven comrade.

“That’s for the best, I suppose,” Layothlee said without surprise, “but I would like to meet her. I keep hoping to chance upon her, though I understand why she’s avoiding her own kind right now.”

“It’s a permanent avoidance rather than a temporary one, I believe.” Rylana didn’t mention that Sylin had hunted down elves when she’d been in the mercenary unit. It sounded like the local pointy-eared citizens already knew that. “Though the elves from the Tranquility enclave have given her a lot of reasons to be even more determined than usual about maintaining that policy.”

“That’s what I’ve gathered.”

“Why do you want to meet her?” Rylana couldn’t imagine that Layothlee had even heard about Sylin before arriving in Tranquility. They’d never encountered the elven troupe, at least during all the years Rylana had been a mercenary with Sylin.

Layothlee looked up and down the street, waiting until no passersby were near, before whispering her response. “I think we may be related. Do you know if she was raised as an orphan?”

Rylana gaped. Maybe she should have guessed, since they had the same elegant beauty and dark-green hair—a rare hue among elves—but she hadn’t. It took a moment before she could do anything but stare in surprise.

“According to her,” Rylana said as Layothlee waited patiently for an answer, “she was raised by a wolf pack in a forest somewhere to the south.”

“Oh, really?” Layothlee digested that for a moment. “Maybe that explains her… career choice. And lack of interest in having a relationship with her own kind.”

“I figure it accounts for her love of steaks anyway.”

“It is hard to live on plants and fungi alone without magic and some intensive agroforestry.”

“I doubt the wolves were that into cultivating vegetables and mushrooms.”

“Do you happen to know which southern forest she grew up in?” Layothlee asked.

“She never mentioned it. She can be tightlipped about her past. About many things that don’t fall under the realm of her passions.”

“What is she passionate about?”

Rylana hesitated to give out much information on Sylin. Even if Layothlee was a relative and didn’t have anything to do with the hunt going on for her, it was also possible this friendliness was a ruse. Maybe Layothlee wanted to learn more about Sylin and her whereabouts, not because they were relatives but because she also believed Sylin a threat to be dealt with.

“Currently, coffee,” Rylana said, certain the elves already knew about Sylin’s frequent visitation of the shop across the street. It was a wonder they hadn’t succeeded in catching her yet, but Rylana had long suspected Sylin had some innate elven magic that helped her to remain hidden—and sense people nearby looking for her.

Layothlee chuckled. “Elves more typically prefer tea, but we’ve been known to sample coffee while traveling. Well, if you’ll give this to her the next time you see her, I would appreciate it.” She lifted the envelope again and held it out. “There’s a note inside for her too.”

“From you?” Rylana accepted it. A slight tingle suggested that magic as well as the wax seal ensured it wouldn’t be opened by anyone but the intended recipient.

“From someone.” Layothlee smiled enigmatically.

“Well, you’ve roused my curiosity.”

“I hope it’ll rouse hers as well.” Layothlee waved and strolled off down Acorn Street.

7

Rylana worked through much of the dinner hour, catching up on the books in between helping Rolf, Gniknik, and Zalani, but she washed up and donned her new dress before the service was over.

“I’m going to the wine club to gather intelligence about our mercurial landlord,” she said when she leaned into the kitchen. She didn’t expect Jildarin to object since they’d discussed it earlier, and he didn’t want to lose the building any more than she did, but she always felt guilty when she left during a busy time.