Page 53 of From the Edge

“Okay. Your name will appear on your door. Don’t freak out. You are also the only one who can open your room. That’s a new feature.”

“Locks and keys?”

“If you want to, I think one of the new orcs is a locksmith. Yelyet.” She smiled. “Oh, and we are opening a daycare at the new building out front on the drive. I think the parking was sorted today.”

“Sorted?”

They were walking through the hall. “Sorted, sprouted from the ground around the new building with appropriate drainage, you get the idea.”

Aspen chuckled. “You have learned about zoning and structural requirements?”

“I had a long convalescence. I learned about how to make this place legal no matter what I did to it. I never wanted my safe place to be in danger.”

They walked through the kitchen, and Aspen’s eyes lit up with the surviving pastries on the trays. “They are fresh?”

“Well, I made them five hours ago, but yeah. Fresh-ish. Coffee is in the big carafe.”

“And there is your tea set.”

“Yup. Some things haven’t changed.”

Aspen grabbed a cherry pastry and groaned as she bit down. “Oh, I have missed food.”

Rowan grinned and got her a sippy cup of black coffee. “Bring a few, and here is your coffee.”

“What is that?”

“Oh, there is a whole thermal coffee cup craze, and giant water cup craze. Basically, we now get to haul our beverages around at our preferred temperature.”

“Ah, the future is amazing.” She sipped at the coffee and collected more pastries.

“Now, to the basement.”

Rowan led the way through the doorway to the basement, and Aspen munched and mumbled behind her, “You talked to Lucia?”

“I did. She gave me some tips, including not to be afraid of food.”

“Oh, I installed on-demand water heaters for all the suites.”

“What does that mean?”

“Unlimited hot water. It heats it as it comes through the unit, and you get hot water as long as you want. All the units are on different heaters.”

Aspen chuckled. “You are going to have a line out the door if the gym is as good as you—holy hells.”

They walked around the corner, and there was the gym. Four treadmills, six heavy-weight weight machines, a moving climbing wall, and an astonishing array of plates as well as an expansive area for stretching and floor work.

“This is my room now.”

Rowan chuckled. “No, but glad you like it.”

“How did you get fourteen-foot ceilings down here?”

Rowan lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers. “I needed it, and the house gave it to me.”

She smiled. “The recording studio is down that hall. Did you want to see it while you finish your pastry before you start touching things?”

Aspen grinned. “You know me so well. Sure.”