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Vibrant hair, gilded tattoos, bright eyes.

The world of magic was as vast and diverse as the world of mortals.

“You’re staring,” Kage whispered, hooking one arm around my shoulders.

“I can’t help it. I remember seeing elven before, but at the same time it’s all new.”

Kage chuckled and tugged me tighter against his side. The flutter of wings drew us to a halt. Hakon burst from Cy’s shoulder and perched on the pointed ledge of a slat rooftop.

“Seems we’ve found the place,” Cy said.

Twenty paces ahead, a dark tavern was alight in tenants and patrons, stepping in and out of a creaky door. A wooden sign above the entrance was engraved in an intricate mermaid beside the words in a different language.

Gwyn ruffled through the satchels and removed a curious stone—clear as crystal—but in the center was a dark pebble. She held the stone to her eye, and after a moment said, “It’s calledThe Sulking Siren. Seems as good a place to rest as any. Kage, you better do the talking. You’re the only one who can stomach the tongue oil without vomiting.”

My nose wrinkled when she tossed him a glass vial. The stone—called a sight stone—translated words, and the tongue oil gave the user the ability to speak a new dialect or language for a few sentences. The oil placed behind an ear, would give the rest of us the ability to understand responses.

It was horrid and foul, like licking a bit of mold from the bottom of a bowl.

Asger snorted. “This place looks too full.”

“It’ll do until we can find this damn flower.” Kage adjusted the pack on his shoulder and strode for the tavern door. “Let us see if they have a room at least.”

Inside was warm, heady in woodsmoke and the sizzle of meat on dual spits in a wide brick oven. Savory and sweet collided with the scent of too many bodies smashed into a tight space.

Subtly, we rubbed tongue oil behind our ears. Kage waited to the last moment before dropping some into his mouth. He coughed once, then approached the counter where a woman scrubbed a few glass steins.

Violet hair toppled over her head and her skin, a beautiful olive shade with a touch of blue beneath the surface. From the pouch on his belt, Kage removed a fewtippinand placed them on the countertop.

“Any rooms, Lady?” Elven words flowed off his tongue with ease.

Her bright gaze roved over him for ten long breaths, until she clicked her tongue. “You’re not from here, are you boy?”

“I told you they were pointless,” Cy said through his teeth, nudging Gwyn.

She simply lifted her chin and turned her face away from his complaints.

“Do you have a room or not?” Kage’s voice was low and rough with irritation.

The more his degeneration spread, the less his patience for others beyond those he loved remained.

The woman sighed and inspected thetippin. “I’ve two in the loft. Comes with two meals a day, and one use of the washroom on the second floor. Suit you well enough?”

“It’ll suit fine.”

“Then welcome to theSulking Siren.” The woman slapped two bronze keys over the counter. “You’re arriving after supper, but I can see to it you have a bit of bread, cheese, and wine after you settle your things, if you please.”

“Many thanks.” Kage took the keys, handing one to Asger, and peeled away from the bustle toward a narrow staircase.

The rooms were small, but clean and comfortable. Divided by a simple wall that didn’t reach the rafters overhead, and matching beds with moss-filled mattresses and one long, coarse pillow. Cy andGwyn claimed one bed, Asger rolled out his fur mat at the foot, and Kage dropped my satchel and his onto the other.

We shed our cloaks, added a bit of odor-repelling herbs to rid us of the scent of sweat and travel, then returned to the tavern hall. As promised, the matron supplied an empty table in the corner with tin plates of seed coated bread, cups of what looked to be fresh butter and honey, white cheese cubes, and slices of vibrant fruit I didn’t recognize.

Once we were seated, a young girl with dark, curious eyes filled wooden cups with elven wine, as smooth as satin. I did not want to admit it, but I almost favored the elven drink over toadberry wine.

Kage turned his back to the room and unfurled the torn map of elven lands. “We need to get here. From what the grimoire said, the flower is rare and found in this court.”

“Hakon will fly first,” Cy added next, repeating the steps we’d planned on the journey here. “We take the side gates. Here.” He tapped the edge of the map with one finger.