As they blather on, I head back to the kitchen. One hundred sovereigns! This is life-changing money.
But how will I fill this order?
I might be friends with a powerful witch, but she can’t solve this for me. The doubling spell she cast on my oven thankfully doesn’t affect the taste of my goods, but if she tampered more, I know the magic would sour things. We have experimented with the spells enough for me to be sure of that. No, magic is not the answer here.
I hear Cyrus bid the noble fairy goodbye, then he is walking into the kitchen where I’m stalled out.
“I didn’t even get her name,” I say lamely. “I didn’t write down the order. I’m panicking.”
Cyrus smiles and tilts his horned head at me. “Aw, Kaya. You’re amazing. It’ll be fine.” He snags the stack of scrap paper I keep by the back door and the quill I received when I finished my tutoring. Leaning on the counter beside my baking mess, he begins scribbling and going through the list.
“Lady Egrettington is her name. The order is for three scone flavors for a tea party of one hundred. Lavender. Lemon. Orange. Strawberry. She also requires thirty chocolate croissants.”
“Oh! I didn’t give her a sample!”
“I talked her out of that to take something off your to-do list.”
My heart warms and I study his handsome face. He is a wonderful person. Naughty and full of vices, but wonderful. “Thank you, Cyrus. I really appreciate it.”
“And guess what?”
“What?” I am always nervous when he gets that excited look.
“I’m going to help you fill this order.”
“What? You don’t know how to bake.”
Cyrus waves off my concern. “I know Rosalind will be gone for a while with those twins coming. Listen, I’ve picked up more than you think watching you work all these years.”
“Really? Won’t you be busy with the pub?”
“Halvard and Trustan can handle most of it. It’ll be fine.”
I cross my arms and give him a stern look. “You always think everything will be fine.”
“It usually is!” He squeezes her shoulder and starts to head out. “I’ll be back this afternoon. I’ll bring one of my part-time lads to watch the bakery. Sound good?”
“It does. Thanks, Cyrus. I really appreciate it.”
“No worries!” He waves over his shoulder and I hear the door open and shut.
Why was he so set on helping me? I mean, I guess it’s because if I fail in this, I’ll likely be too overwhelmed to get his bakery items for the pub, too, so that makes sense. He’s a good guy, but he isn’t usually the first in line for work. I’m pretty sure he sleeps until almost noon when he can. And with a bed full of lovers. I roll my eyes, thinking of his wink and the way hemade Lady Egrettington blush. My new baking assistant is truly incorrigible.
Chapter 2
Cyrus
After a visit to Romulus in the watchtower to see how the weather will be in the next few days, I walk through my pub’s doors. Today, The Gold Coin is a riot of noise, the opposite of both Kaya’s bakery and Rom’s tower.
What in the Blessed Stones is going on?
Two goblins and a pixie are strumming lutes near the stairs. A boisterous crowd is gathered at the bar top, raising cups and laughing. Halvard’s worried, green face shows above everyone else’s heads.
“Eh! While I adore this kind of nonsense, it’s a little early, folks. What is happening?” I ease my way through the customers and join the orc.
No one seems to hear me, though. Behind the bar, Halvard is dishing out drink tokens—small, wooden discs we give to people when we have disappointed them in some way or done something I really enjoyed, like singing a good song during the dinner hour.
I grab Halvard’s arm, and he turns to face me. The crowd chats up a storm behind him, and already quite a few of them are deep in their cups.
