Erindil wrung his hands. “Oh dear. Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”
There was no turning back time, as Sass knew all too well. That didn’t mean that she didn’t feel for Lira and everything that had been thrown her way.
She touched the elf’s arm. “Let me talk to her.”
Forty-One
Sass pushedthrough the kitchen doors, expecting to see Lira humming as she mixed up her usual cinnamon scones. Instead, the woman stood staring into the earthenware mixing bowl with Crumpet perched on her shoulder and also focused on the contents of the bowl.
“Is everything okay?” Sass asked.
Lira glanced up quickly, and the flutterstoat chattered indignantly as he took flight and landed on the rack overhead that held the copper pots and pans. “Only if you consider ruined scones okay.”
“How did you ruin them?”
Lira sighed and blew a strand of auburn hair off her forehead. “I was explaining to Korl why it’s not so easy to welcome Erindil with open arms, even if he is my uncle and even if he did gift us the tavern.”
“I think he knows that,” Sass said.
Lira’s shoulders sank. “I know he does. I might have taken out my frustrations about this whole situation on him, which wasn’t fair.”
“I think he’ll forgive you.”
Lira met the dwarf’s eyes and released a breath. “It’s not his fault that I suddenly have to deal with a missing father, and it’s not actually Erindil’s either. My uncle isn’t the one who left me when I was young, and he did buy us this tavern. He’s been nothing but kind and helpful. I shouldn’t be so conflicted about him or about him helping us.”
Sass recognized the independent woman she’d encountered that first fateful night at The Tusk & Tail—and the stubborn one. She also recognized that independence and stubbornness in herself, so she couldn’t give Lira too hard of a time. Not when she understood her so well.
“Trust me, I get it.” Sass crossed her arms over her chest. “Sometimes we all take out our frustrations on the people who least deserve it. No one blames you for being overwhelmed by Erindil’s appearance and his news. Not even him.”
Lira’s shoulders drooped. “Did I really flounce from the room when he offered to help?”
“I wouldn’t say flounce. Now your uncle might flounce. You stomped.”
Lira put a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. “Despite whatever I might feel about my father, I should give Erindil a chance. Especially if he can help figure out the amulet.”
“If you don’t want him involved, just say the word.”
Lira shook her head. “I want to learn the truth about the amulet as much as anyone. If I’m being honest, I’m ready to know more about my elf family too.”
“Truly?” Sass asked.
Lira gave her a genuine smile. “Truly.”
Sass returned her attention to the mixing bowl. “Now how did you ruin the scones?”
Lira released another long breath. “I was so busy trying to explain my point of view that I ended up dumping the chai spices into the bowl instead of just the cinnamon.”
Sass stepped closer, getting up on her tiptoes to peer into themixing bowl. “That’s it? You didn’t add salt when it should have been sugar or maybe add magical ingredients by accident?”
Lira gasped and gave Sass a horrified look. “I only did that once. What kind of baker do you think I am?”
Sass shrugged one shoulder. “The kind who can rescue this batch of scones and make them delicious, anyway.”
The woman scrunched her lips to one side as she looked at Sass, then looked at the bowl, then looked at Sass. “You’re right. This isn’t a lost cause. I was always good at adjusting on the spot during missions. That was usually about picking locks and not adjusting spices, but it’s still pivoting.”
Lira spun around and snapped her fingers as she spotted something on the counter. “Crumpet brought me these pears he foraged earlier. I’ll bet if I add some chopped pear to the chai spices, it will be delicious.”
Crumpet glided down to the counter and picked up one of the bumpy, green pears, his white paws prodding at the fruit. He pushed it aside and grabbed another, going through the same motions. Finally, he chirped happily and held out the chosen pear.
