Page 56

I was sore in all the right ways when I woke up.

I really didn’t think the rich half of Nestran knew how to throw a proper celebration like Guttertown did, but they did have one advantage we didn’t.

They had people who did the work for them, so if they stayed up too late or got drunk, they could just sleep it off.

We didn’t have that advantage. My tavern wasn’t an early morning business, but the prep work had to start at sun-up, so we were all walking back. We were joined on the main road by Basselt, Athan, and Tarja,

Tarja could be mean when she wasn’t hung over, but she’d hit the Demon Rage pretty hard and also hit Darnell, probably because he came to her first about that blue demon with the giant cock. She actually appeared to be in a decent mood considering how much Ollie and I served her last night.

“I want a bottle of that Demon Rage for my stores. And Basselt showed us how to make the cure for Caitrin. It doesn’t need copper. They use copper and have a vein of it, but it’s not required for healing like it is here. This is going to change everything. And I owe Caitrin an apology.”

“Why?”

If Tarja was rude to Mom, she’d just be rude right back. I couldn’t imagine a scenario where Tarja owed Mom an apology and Mom didn’t also owe Tarja one.

“You. She was always particular about your treatment and I thought she was saying I was one of those perverts who got weird around kids when I needed to get a certain look at you when you were younger. I get it now, but she could have trusted us.”

Ah, yeah. That was the one thing that Mom wouldn’t have returned the favor over.

“She couldn’t let you know because I didn’t know. You could have kept that secret, but I was a kid and I might not have been able to.”

“I never figured it out when you got older because you weren’t one of those big, stroppy lads, but you were always healthy like one. I never treated you that often.”

“That’s because I do all the things that I know are healthy and some of the things that are just rumors so you don’t have to.”

“Mm. We should probably study some of the things you thought were just rumors to make them fact.”

When we got to the tavern, Keeva came out to meet us. She was Beck’s aunt by blood, but she was our aunt, too, by extension. She was close with her twin, but she was also friends with Mom, so I didn’t question her being here while I was gone.

She walked over and hugged Beck, but she punched Neco right in the stomach. He just grunted and grinned at her.

“I heard you got the rich people to pay you and now you’re safe.”

“I did, but I don’t know how you know that.”

“My twin is not the only one with spies.”

I should have been worried two of the most powerful women in Guttertown had spies everywhere, but I didn’t. They were my family, and they’d keep our secrets. If they heard something we needed to know, we’d find out. It actually made me feel safe.

“Caitrin is still sleeping. I made her a tea to help her rest. If you’ve got that cure, now is a good time to give it to her.”

Mom came stumbling out of the tavern. She’d never been a morning person, but she had to be to own a business. I grabbed Mom and hugged her because this was it. I finally had the cure, and I didn’t have to lose her. She hugged me back just as tightly because she got it. She could have lost me, too.

When we let go, Basselt held out a vial.

“Drink it quickly. Honey cuts down on the bitterness, but it still tastes terrible.”

Mom uncorked it and threw it back. She screwed up her face as she swallowed.

“Wow, that is terrible. I’ll bet between Lucy and I, we can figure out how to make it taste better.”

“That would be a good thing. Sometimes, the cubs don’t want to take it because it tastes bad, but they need it. Your young are probably the same.”

“How long does it take to work?” I asked.

“What’s in her lungs has to come out. I’m going to have to thump on her back and teach her how to cough. The same goes for your mom, Neco. The Barons should have at least passed that along when they gave you that remedy. It’s more painful when you don’t.”

“Arseholes. Show me.”

Damn. I was hoping to get Basselt and Mom alone when she was feeling better so he could thump all over her body.

“One last thing and if this offends you, it never happened,” Mom said.

Basselt raised an eyebrow at her, but then he had to catch her because Mom was kissing him. My friends and I being us hooted and hollered while we encouraged them to go upstairs and get naked.

Basselt was definitely kissing her back, so he wasn’t offended by that at all.

That was the last thing I wanted. I wanted my mom alive, but I also wanted her happy. Folcard insured she’d have to go it alone with just me because Guttertown men were cowards. Folcard wasn’t coming back. He might try to tax us harder, but he was done with us.

I was going to eventually marry, and I wanted someone for Mom when I was gone. I also wanted Basselt to be that man because I actually liked him and thought he was good for her.

It looked like he agreed. Yeah, I got everything I wanted.