Page 42 of Sorcery, Swords & Scones (Tales from the Tavern #2)
Forty-Two
“You’re sure this is a good idea?” Sass cast a longing look back at The Tusk & Tail.
“Iris, Cali, and Erindil are already at the apothecary researching possible enchantments.” Lira put a reassuring arm around Sass’s shoulders as Thrain, Korl, and Val walked ahead.
“We won’t be gone long. Besides, I have every confidence in Rog and Rosie.
If the gnome can peddle apple brandy the way she does, she’s more than capable of handling afternoon scones and chai. ”
Sass bobbled her head back and forth. Part of her thought she should stay behind to help the gnomes pass out scones and pour chai, but there was also no way she was going to miss learning what enchantment had been placed on the amulet Florin gave her.
She slipped one hand into her skirt pocket, touching the velvet pouch as if to reassure herself that the amulet was there. Then she remembered it was charmed and snatched back her hand.
“Don’t you worry about me and Rosie.” Rog bellowed to them from the front door of the tavern with a pear and chai scone in one hand and crumbs speckling his blue beard.
“We’ve handled rowdier bunches than the folks in Wayside.
Doling out scones and mugs of that spiced tea won’t make me and the missus break a sweat. ”
Sass wanted to say that there was more to it than that, but she pressed her lips together.
Lira was right. She was being overly territorial about the scone service she thought of as her innovation.
It would survive without her for one day, just like their usual customers would be fine with a different flavor of scone.
“See? Nothing to worry about.” Lira gave her shoulders a squeeze before running to catch up to Korl.
Sass sighed and picked up her pace to join the rest of the group headed toward the village.
The midday sun eased down the sky, the morning mist long since burned away as Wayside had finally roused itself from its post-festival slumber.
Hooves clopped on the dusty road, the blacksmith’s hammer clanged against steel, and the waterwheel splashed in the stream.
When she caught up to Thrain, he took a sizable bite of the scone he’d grabbed on the way out the door. “These are quite the treat.”
Lira swiveled her head to grin at him. “They turned out well, didn’t they?
Sass was the one who saved them, you know.
I thought the batch was ruined when I mistakenly put the chai spices in the scone batter, but she reminded me that every misstep is still a step forward, and possibly even in a better direction. ”
“Even the errant swing of a pickaxe cuts a tunnel,” Thrain said.
Lira fell back so she could walk in step with Sass, dropping her voice to a whisper. “Sounds like your mum isn’t the only dwarf dispensing mining wisdom.”
“Thrain spent a lot of time at my house growing up,” Sass told her. “Trust me, he got all of his wisdom from my mum.”
Lira laughed at this, giving Sass a nudge of her hips and taking a few long strides to catch up to Korl and Vaskel as they strode past Pip’s bakery.
Val slowed her pace so that she walked alongside Sass, smiling down at the dwarf. “You ready to figure out how Florin enchanted your amulet?”
Despite the humid gusts of sugar-dusted air coming from the bakery, a chill slithered down Sass’s spine as she recalled the feel of the cool stone pressed to her neck. “It’s not my amulet, and the sooner I’m rid of it, the better.”
Before another memory could make the dwarf shudder, Val’s hand enveloped Sass’s smaller one, comforting and solid. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
Ahead, the door to the apothecary shop jingled as it was opened.
“I know you do,” Sass said as they followed the rest of the group inside the dimly-lit shop. She drew in a deep breath, the air thick with the scent of herbs and fragrant oils that had become familiar and comforting.
There wasn’t more time for talking or even exchanging sweet looks, as Iris was standing behind the counter with Erindil beside her.
Books were sprawled open and stretched down the length of the glass.
Sass had thought they’d be in the back room, but as she glanced at their number, she understood why they weren’t crowding into the cozy space.
“Lock the door,’ the apothecary requested as she flicked up her gaze.
Val paused to snap the bolt into place behind them, flipping over the “open” sign so that the gold letters on the black paper read “closed.” Luckily the windows of the shop were already darkened, so there was no chance of villagers peeking inside.
Cali emerged from the back. “Oh, good. Everyone’s here.” She cut her eyes to Iris. “Have you told them?”
Iris shook her head, and her curls jiggled.
Then she lifted her gaze and smiled. “I thought I’d read about enchanted jewels somewhere, and I was right.
” She tapped a finger on one of the open pages.
“ The Traveling Chronicles of Verendel the Gray talks about encountering a charmed jewel. In this case, the jewel was hexed to slowly poison the wearer.”
Lira gasped and her gaze found Sass, who swallowed hard.
“Not that we believe your jewel is poisonous, my dear.” Erindil beamed at Sass, holding out his hand. “But if you’ll pass it to me, I can start the process of determining the charm or curse.”
Sass pulled the velvet bag from her pocket and passed it to the elf, glad to be rid of it.
Iris pointed to a line in the book. “The chronicles detail how Verendel the Gray used a simple spell to reveal the magic.”
“Which I feel confident I can perform,” Erindil said. “Revealing spells can rarely go wrong or inflict harm, and as an elf, I have the power to survive magic if it happens to rebound.”
Despite the elf’s reassuring smile, that only sounded mildly comforting.
The elf poured the amulet into a black bowl that Iris produced. Then he held his hands over the bowl, whispering, “Arcana Revela.”
The room was so quiet Sass could hear her own quick breaths, as Erindil paused before repeating the incantation. After a few more rounds, Val slid Sass a look and a shrug.
Before Sass could return the shrug, the bowl started to shake and Erindil’s hands glowed as he gripped the edges. The elf’s eyes were closed and his head tipped up, and Sass wondered if the spell was as harmless as he’d believed.
Then as quickly as the bowl had started rattling and glowing, it stopped. Erindil opened his eyes, and a satisfied grin stretched across his face.
“Well?” Lira asked, her voice a hush.
Erindil locked his eyes on Sass. “It’s most certainly enchanted, and whoever cast this spell meant to use the amulet to control you, my dear.”
Sass tried to steady her scattered heartbeat but failed miserably.