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D espite a fitful sleep plagued with worries over Fennus, Viv eventually steered her thoughts to Hemington’s parting comments about food. While she ruminated, Tandri blacked out the lines on the signboards mentioning free samples and limited supplies and adjusted the menu while she was at it.

When the regulars returned—plus a few new faces—Viv noted with pleasure that they paid for their drinks without complaint. Viv and Tandri shared a relieved glance and got down to business, enjoying the warm bustle behind the hissing machine.

Cal stopped in again too, obviously relieved there was no silence to fill with idle observations. He groused when Viv refused his copper but hovered by the counter while he drank, nodding every once in a while as he watched them work.

Remembering the idea she’d been toying with, Viv asked Tandri to handle brewing duties halfway through the rush.

Tandri smoothly took up the orders while Viv went to find the rattkin, tucked away in one of the back corner booths, feet swinging, eyes closed, meditating over his steaming mug.

She slid in across from him, and his bright eyes opened to regard her warily. He was wearing the same apron she’d seen him in every morning, whitened liberally with flour. Up close, pale powder flecked the fine hairs on his arms and face, as well.

“Hi, there. I’m Viv.”

He nodded and slurped at his latte.

“Not too talkative?”

He shook his head.

“That’s all right. But I wanted to ask you something. I noticed your….” She gestured at his apron, “Well, the flour. And I wondered if you happened to know anything about baking?”

The rattkin stared at her, whiskers twitching, and gently set down his mug, then gave a slow triple nod.

“You do ? So I have something of an idea. I’m thinking what this place might need is some…

breads—or something baked—to eat.” She squeezed an invisible loaf between her hands.

“Snacks, I guess. Not something I know much about, though. But I thought, you, well, if you did know something about that, then….”

The rattkin raised a tentative paw to forestall her. Leaning forward over his drink, in a tiny, breathy voice, he said, “ Tomorrow .”

“Tomorrow?”

He nodded again. Eagerly , Viv thought.

She didn’t know whether he had to be on his way or needed a few hours to think, but despite her curiosity, she wasn’t going to press the matter. She rapped the table and stood.

“I’ll look forward to it, Mister…?”

He stared up at her, and in a solemn whisper, said, “ Thimble .”

“Thimble,” Viv agreed. Then she gave him a nod and returned to the counter.

* * *

The afternoon again became a desert of inactivity. Hemington returned and purchased a drink, a pained expression on his face, and once more left it untouched.

Viv wiped down tables in the empty dining area, gathering dirty mugs. Suddenly, Tandri’s voice cut through the hush, her tone icy.

“What are you doing here?” Tandri glared at a young man who leaned on the counter top, gazing back at her in an overly familiar way. His soft handsomeness hinted at money, and while he wasn’t wearing the split robes Hemington wore, Viv saw one of the stag pins on his tailored shirt.

“Saw you through the window and just had to stop by,” he replied. “Haven’t seen you in a while, Tandri. I’d almost think you were avoiding me.”

“And you’d be right.”

“Well, I’m only here as a customer, so we can call this an intervention of fate.”

“You just said you saw me through the window. If fate intervenes, it’ll be to turn you around and send you right back out.”

“Now don’t be that way. A succubus like you, you can feel this….” He gestured between them. “This attraction , I know you can.”

Tandri looked stricken, and then her expression became deliberately neutral. “Kellin, there is no attraction. There never has been. I think you should leave.”

“But I haven’t bought anything yet,” he protested, a smile in his voice.

“I don’t think we have anything you want,” said Viv, approaching the front of the shop and looming, arms crossed.

Kellin turned his attention to her, and his easy smile vanished, replaced by something sharper. “I don’t remember involving you in this conversation.”

Viv was mildly surprised he hadn’t quailed at the sight of her.

“It’s my shop,” said Viv evenly. “I serve who I want, when I want. And I don’t think I want to serve you. So, I’ll ask you to leave.”

Kellin stared at her hard for a moment, a sneer developing. “I don’t guess you’ve met the Madrigal, yet. At some point, everybody around here serves them. Which means that sooner or later, you’re going to be paying your dues to me.”

“Oh, so you’re his errand boy? I thought that was the man with the very fine hat.”

He was about to retort when Amity emerged from behind Viv and strolled by with deadly grace. She settled beside Tandri and indifferently licked a massive paw.

Kellin blinked but recovered his sneer.

Viv couldn’t decide if he was brave or stupid.

“I’ll leave for now,” he said. “But you’ll be seeing me again.”

He looked at Tandri again with that soft, proprietary smile. “But you and me, we’ll catch up later. Looking forward to it. Fate .”

He left.

* * *

Tandri released a slow breath.

“What was that all about?” asked Viv.

“He was a student at Ackers. He had an….” Tandri searched for the words. “An unhealthy obsession with me.”

“When you took classes there for… personal interests?”

“Yes.”

“Guess he’s working for the head of the local hoods, too. Seems education didn’t lead to better things.”

“Oh, I’m not surprised, at all,” Tandri muttered darkly.

“We’ll keep him out.”

The succubus crouched next to the dire-cat. “Or maybe Amity needs a snack. Are you hungry, girl?”

Amity purred like a rockfall.

* * *

That evening, Tandri left long enough to collect some blankets and a big goose-down pillow.

She and Viv put together a makeshift bed in the back corner of the shop for the dire-cat.

The next time Amity reappeared, she stalked over to the rumpled pile, patted it experimentally with one enormous forepaw, and then strolled away.

But they left the bed.

* * *

Thimble rapped on the front door as the two of them prepared to open. In his hands he clutched a cloth-wrapped lump that trailed wisps of steam. Viv smelled something warm and yeasty and sweet, and thought she recognized cinnamon, too.

He scuttled indoors.

Tandri emerged from the pantry with a bag of beans and a carafe of milk, inhaling deeply. “What is that wonderful smell ?”

The rattkin glanced anxiously between them, then slid his wrapped bundle onto the counter top.

Viv pointed at it. “May I?”

Thimble nodded hesitantly.

Carefully unfolding the cloth, Viv revealed a roll as big as her fist, almost too large to imagine eating. Soft bread wound in a spiral, with dark sugar and cinnamon nestled between the rings, and a thick, creamy glaze frosted the top and dripped down the sides.

Tandri was right. The scent was unbelievably amazing.

“You made this?” asked Viv, impressed.

“ Did ,” whispered the rattkin, again with the little bobbing nod, his hands clasped before his flour-dusted apron.

Viv and Tandri shared a glance, and then Viv delicately tore a piece from the enormous roll, sniffed deeply, and popped it into her mouth.

She closed her eyes and made an involuntary noise of pleasure. It was easily the most delicious thing she’d had in… well, maybe ever.

“Good gods,” she murmured around the mouthful. “Tandri, try it.”

Tandri peeled off a piece and obliged.

As she chewed, Viv could feel some kind of atmospheric shift around Tandri, a sultry radiance, and her tail lashed back and forth in elegant loops. Viv and the rattkin watched her chew, rapt.

When the succubus opened her eyes again, her irises were huge, cheeks flushed. She looked dreamily at the rattkin. “You’re hired.” Her voice had gone husky. Then she startled and glanced at Viv. The aura dissipated. “Wait, that is why he’s here, isn’t it?”

Viv turned to Thimble. “How would you like to bake these here every day?”

He nodded and shifted from foot to foot, as though he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words.

“Four silver a week?” Viv prompted. She looked at Tandri to make sure there would be no objection.

The succubus nodded, eyes big, and made a yes-yes-get-on-with-it flapping with her hands.

Thimble nodded an affirmative, then he stretched out his nose, and for the first time, uttered more than one word in his silky whisper. “ Free coffee? ”

Viv offered a hand. “Thimble, you can have all the coffee you want.”