Page 29

Twenty-Eight

When Lira left the apothecary, she wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. Had she inadvertently recruited Iris to help her break out her gran’s recipe book? They might both be rogues, but the fact remained that the book was behind a stone wall and there was a tavern on top of it. Not a busy tavern, but not an empty one either. Not to mention the wyvern who was convinced there was gold hidden somewhere on the premises and would be happy to claim the coins hidden with her gran’s recipe book.

It struck Lira that her desire to help The Tusk & Tail was working against her desire to retrieve what she’d hidden. The more patrons who came to sample the chai and nibble on her scones, the harder it would be to do much of anything in the cellar without being detected. Not to mention Rygor, the tavernkeeper, Silas who seemed to suspect her of something, and…

“Lira!”

She’d been so lost in her thoughts that she’d almost walked right by the open door of the bakery. But it hadn’t been Pip Brambleheart who’d called her name. It had been Cali.

Lira gathered herself as she stepped inside the shop where Pip was bustling behind the counter, and Cali stood on the other side of it nibbling on an enormous roll.

“You didn’t tell me about these rolls,” Cali said, her pink tongue darting out to lick at something sticky in the fur around her mouth.

“That’s because she hasn’t tried them.” Pip pointed to a glass stand with a domed cover. “I was inspired to experiment after tasting your delicious scones. I hope you take these as an homage.”

Lira eyed the puffy, swirled rolls under the dome and the glaze that coated them. “Those look incredible, but I don’t see how they can be an homage. They look nothing like scones.”

Pip flicked his fingers through his wiry hair, and bits of dough or glaze flew into the air. “I suppose they aren’t. They’re a yeast roll, much like my usual morning rolls. It was your unusual use of flavor that I used as inspiration.”

“So, they have cinnamon in them?”

Pip scrunched his lips to one side. “No, lemon.”

Lira couldn’t stop herself from grinning at the nervous halfling. “I don’t think you need to worry about anyone confusing these with scones, but I’m happy if I inspired you in any way.”

“So am I,” mumbled Cali as she devoured the last bite of her roll.

“I’d love to try one.” Lira’s stomach had been grumbling at her since she’d caught the first whiff of yeast that morning, and now it was relentless in its complaints.

Pip briskly lifted the glass dome and pulled a swirl onto a plate before passing it to Lira. “It’s on the house.” He smiled. “For the inspiration. ”

Lira didn’t waste time in taking a bite, and she also didn’t bother to hide her groan. The dough was pillowy and yeasty with a tang of lemon between the layers and a sweet glaze that was just tart enough. “Pip, these might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”

“Didn’t I tell you?” Cali said.

“Yes, you told me.” Lira shot her a look before returning her attention to Pip. “You’re a baking genius.”

His smile brightened. “I haven’t felt much like a genius or a baker for the past few years, if I’m being honest. It’s been the same every day—up early, morning rolls, loaves, early to bed—but now I remember what it’s like to feel inspired.” He leveled a knobby finger at her. “Your gran and I used to do this, you know.”

“Do what?” Lira asked as she swallowed the last bite of the gooey roll.

“Share ideas, swap recipes, inspire each other.” He gave her a watery smile. “I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it.”

Lira wasn’t sure what to say. She’d never thought much about how losing her gran had affected others in the village, which she now saw had been youthful arrogance and the short-sightedness of her sadness.

“That’s one of Lira’s true talents,” Cali said as she licked one gray paw clean. “She brings out the best in others.”

Lira’s mouth gaped. “Do you really think that, Cal?”

The Tabaxi looked slightly affronted by the question. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t. You made everyone in our crew better by creating some kind of synergy. When you joined, we became greater than the sum of our parts.”

Lira had never known her friend felt that way. Before she could think of something to say, Pip bobbed his head vigorously.

“Just look at all that’s happened since you returned to Wayside. The tavern is no longer an eyesore, I’ve started creating new recipes again, and Korl is walking around humming, of all things.”

“That’s not all because of me,” Lira protested. “Sass is a big part of the changes. ”

Cali’s eyes narrowed. “And how did Sass become your partner in crime?”

Lira didn’t answer, but she wondered if Cali used the word crime on purpose. Was it just her feline instincts?

“I’m happy I inspired you,” Lira said, “but if I’m being honest, I’m still baking from memory at this point, and it’s a bit hit or miss.”

“Baking is all about hits and misses.” Pip busied himself behind the counter again. “I heard that Korl fixed your oven.”

“He did, which I hope means there will be more hits than misses now.”

“Such a nice boy,” Pip said more to himself than to the two friends.

“The orc?” Cali asked Lira in a whisper, clearly confused by Pip referring to the massive, full-grown guardsman as a boy.

Lira nodded, an unwanted flush warming her cheeks as she thought about Korl. “The orc.”

Cali licked her other sticky paw as she eyed Lira. “Interesting.”

Lira ignored the comment and lifted the basket hanging on one arm. “I’d better get these back to the tavern. I promised Sass some breakfast that wasn’t scones.”

Cali motioned to the lemon sweet rolls. “If she finds out about these and that you didn’t bring her any…well, I wouldn’t want to be on the bad end of an angry dwarf.”

“How would she find…?” Lira stopped herself at the Tabaxi’s smug smile that curved her whiskers. “You’d tell her, wouldn’t you?”

“I don’t think there’s going to be a person I don’t tell about these rolls.”

Lira laughed as she stepped closer to the counter and tipped her head at the domed stand. “I’ll take three of these to go.”

Cali cleared her throat. “What dwarf would only eat three of these in a sitting?”

Pip took out a paper bag and nodded his agreement. “They wouldn’t last past second breakfast in a halfling house, and our ample appetites can’t hold a candle to those of dwarves.”

Lira thought that they were making a lot of assumptions about Sass based on her being a dwarf, but she also knew that Sass loved pastries. “Fine. Make it six.”

“I might have at least one more,” Cali said.

“You’re coming back to the tavern with me?” Lira kept the surprise from her voice.

“I was on my way to you when I was waylaid by this smell.” Cali’s ears twitched. “We didn’t get much time to catch up yesterday.”

Lira hoped that catching up and telling her about Pirrin were the only reasons Cali had come, but she had a growing feeling that they weren’t.

Cali slapped a handful of copper bits on the counter. “Make it a dozen, and it’s on me.”