My eyes bugged. “You don’t have a shawl?”
She planted her hands on her hips. “And what gold am I supposed to buy one with, exactly?”
My mouth dropped open at that. “Georgie, I didn’t know you didn’t have a shawl.” I shrugged off my brown overcoat and draped it over her shoulders. “I’m sorry. We’ll get you a proper winter coat and shawl today.”
I rubbed my jaw, guilt gnawing at me. Elspeth would never let hersisters be out in the cold without the proper clothing. Just another reason to add to the list of why I might not be the best person suited to take care of Georgie. I thought of our grandmother. Maybe I’d been too harsh on her.
It was our turn to step up to the stand.
“Hi,” I said to Elspeth.
“Hi,” she said, a shy smile on her face.
“Gag.” Georgie stuck her finger down her throat, and Adelaide snorted from behind Elspeth.
Elspeth laughed and set her hands on her hips. “Two bowls of soup, then?” She gestured behind her where three long tables now sat, full of witches eating their soup and talking. Laughter and chatter rang out in the air. “For here or to go?”
“To go,” I said at the same time as Georgie said, “For here.”
“It’s cold,” I warned her.
“We have warming spells now.” Elspeth gestured to a faint cloud covering the tables. “Veldar, of all people, made one so he could eat his soup here.”
She hadn’t told me that. Probably because every minute I got to steal with her, we were busy doing other things with our mouths than talking. Elspeth widened her eyes at me as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.
“You two are gross.” Georgie shoved her hand in my coat pocket and dumped six gold coins on the table. “Yes, for here,” she confirmed.
I cleared my throat as Elspeth’s mother ladled soup into two bowls. “Oh, Elspeth, just kiss the man.” She waved her ladle in the air, some soup splattering onto the table. “We all know something is going on between you two.”
“Mama,” Elspeth said through gritted teeth.
I hid a smile behind my hand while Georgie beamed, entertained by this entire exchange.
“Mama”—Adelaide stepped up and grabbed the ladle from her—“we have other customers waiting.”
“Even better reason to kiss him so he’ll stop staring at Elspeth like that and take his bowls already.” Thea wrenched the ladle back from her eldest daughter while Elspeth shot daggers at her.
“What about me?” Edgar asked, clearly affronted as he looked at the two bowls. “I don’t just eat raw meat, you know.”
Georgie patted him on the head and smiled at him affectionately, then dropped three more coins on the table. She was really warming up to the dragon. I didn’t know what shifted between them, but they were definitely an odd pair. Yet, somehow, they worked.
Thea plopped another bowl onto the table.
“Thank you, ladies.” I grabbed two of the bowls, then tipped my head at Elspeth. I was going to do so many filthy things to her later.
“Come on, loverboy.” Georgie grabbed my arm with one hand, holding her bowl of soup with the other.
I shook my head. I guess we were a little obvious. Georgie and I walked to one of the tables, warmth settling over us like a blanket as we sat down. Veldar really had created a nice spell.
He sat on the opposite end of one of our tables, chattering away about something. Well, more like yelling.
“I’m sick of these damned laws. When is someone going to stand up to Witch Superior?” A few people looked down the table at us and shushed him.
I cleared my throat and took a bite of the soup. Garlic, cheddar, and herbs burst to life in my mouth.
Edgar groaned, sipping his soup directly from the bowl. “That is the best thing I’ve ever tasted,” he said.
It was good. I might have to ask them if they’d want to sell soup at the tavern. I looked at Elspeth, wondering how she’d feel about something like that.
