Page 82 of Morel Dilemma

The recipe book on mushrooms remained open near the oven, though Jildarin was striding confidently about the kitchen, tending the numerous dishes in progress and looking like he’d fully decided on the menu. Most of the enchanted morels had disappeared into this or that, but some remained on the counter, and Rylana nodded, figuring there was enough for her idea to work. If she could get Jildarin to agree to it.

“Do you have a minute?” she asked when he noticed her. “I need to relay a warning I received.”

“From one of the pompous elves striding about my diner, without having requested my permission to do a search?”

“Yes, from one of those.”

Jildarin looked sourly at her.

“You must have expected troops to come along as an escort for the queen,” Rylana said.

“Not pompous troops.”

“Really? They are elves.”

“Elves are usually respectful of dragons.”

“And only pompous with everyone else?”

“Correct. That officer was presumptuous.” Jildarin waved as the lieutenant strode past in the hallway.

“Considering what he did to my underwear, I won’t disagree. But I need a favor, Jildarin.” Rylana stepped forward and flipped to the page in the book that mentioned the side effects of enchanted morels.

He was mouthing, “Underwear,” with a furrowed brow but allowed his gaze to be drawn to the text.

“Captain Tassani doesn’t trust all the elves he brought along, putatively to protect the queen as she dines, to precisely follow his orders. He was a little vague, but he said he has a bad feeling. I think he believes some of those elves are loyal to the Shaldona family more than they are to the queen, and might attack Sylin if she shows up. You were there when Fareesa said they don’t want to see an heir spontaneously appear, right?” Rylana knew he’d been there; she didn’t know if he’d been distracted by scheming up ways to entice the queen to the diner.

“I recall the story, yes. Your assassin comrade has proven adept at avoiding the elves seeking to harm her.”

“Yeah, but this time is different. I know you were just trying to get the queen to come to the diner, but you’ve set up Sylin to show up too, and she might be in danger if she does.”

Jildarin gazed at her, his face hard to read. Rylana didn’t want to outright say he would be to blame if Sylin were hurt, especially since she doubted he’d intended his scheme to harm anyone, but this had been his idea. Even now, the aroma of the first brewing of black ivory coffee wafted through the air, adding its rich scent to the others present.

“I did intend for the flavored waters to draw Sylinesla,” Jildarin said, “and for her to draw the queen, but I believed you would approve. Family is important, and, when it is possible, especially among the intelligent species, offspring should have a relationship with their dams and sires.”

“I don’t disagree with that, but the politics revolving around this particular relationship are complicated. As I said, Sylin is going to be in danger if she shows up tonight, and I think she knows that, but she’s drawn. Because of her curiosity about the elf queen, and… menu item number three.”

Jildarin mouthed the latter.

“You don’t use anything digested by animals in your cooking, do you?”

She’d meant it as a joke, but he considered his answer seriously. “Rennet, which is employed in cheesemaking, is extracted from the stomach lining of young ruminants.”

“I… am learning a lot more about the culinary world than I ever wanted.”

“It is appropriate for the bookkeeper and partner in a diner business to be well-informed on such topics.” Jildarin glanced at the book. “What favor do you request?”

“I’d like for the queen and Sylin to be able to enjoy a nice chat without being attacked by turncoat elves. Captain Tassani said that only some of the troops he brought would be standing beside the queen on the rooftop and that others would be enjoying a meal in the diner so this event doesn’t look like some strange military occupation by an invasion force.”

“My diner will not be occupied.”

“Call it what you want, a lot of elves are going to be here, and if their own captain doesn’t trust them, they could be problematic.”

“I can deal with any problems that might arise.”

“Aren’t you going to be busy in the kitchen? Don’t take this the wrong way, Jildarin, but when you’re focused on your cooking, you don’t always notice the world going on around you.”

“I would notice an invasion force drawing arms.”