Page 48

Forty-Seven

“Well, that’s it.” Sass sank into the chair usually occupied by Val and blew out a breath that ruffled the wispy curls that had sprung loose from her braid. “Everyone’s gone, Silas slunk off, and Durn wandered off to bed.”

Despite the night being a busy one with more patrons than ever, Sass had wiped down every table and swept the floor clean of all the dirt the new business dragged in. For Lira’s part, the dishes had been washed, and you never would have known from the spotless counters and worktable, that she’d turned out a record number of meat pies, courtesy of their new oven.

Iris cut her eyes to the back of the tavern, shaking her head as she stood in front of the hearth and warmed her hands. “At least he isn’t complaining about all the changes. Before you came, I would have said he’d have been as excited to improve the place as a dire cat being tossed into a room full of rocking chairs.”

“I’m not sure if excited would describe him.” Lira understood Iris's point, and she wondered why the tavernkeeper had all but abdicated control of his place to their improvements. “He spends too much time listening to Silas, who doesn’t like me or Sass.”

Iris shook her head. “Silas is a harmless old fool.”

Lira wasn’t sure she agreed with that. She’d seen words work on people as effectively as any poison. For a second, she wondered if Silas could be the one who’d been in the cellar. But when? Besides, how would he know what she’d buried or where?

“Durn does seem to be enjoying Penny’s company, even if he’s neither here nor there about the tavern,” Sass said, her smile smug.

Lira hadn’t spent much time in the great room, but even she’d noticed that the chandler had been at the bar for a good part of the evening.

Cali leaned forward in the chair across from Sass and braced her elbows on her knees. “As much as I love discussing the romantic lives of grumpy men, tell me more about this festival and how we’re going to pull it off before I fall asleep from exhaustion.”

“It shouldn’t be hard to get the village behind it,” Iris said. “We used to hold the Night Faires monthly, so we’d only be reminding folks about them.”

“Why did the faires stop?” Sass asked.

“They were still happening when I left,” Lira said.

A frown tugged at Iris's lips. “A lot happened after you left, love. Your gran had passed, you up and left, Durn lost his wife and stopped serving food, the old haberdasher moved on and the shop sat empty for more than a few seasons, and the laird stopped sending crews to keep up the roads, so some of the vendors from outside the village stopped coming in to set up their stalls. If you ask me, I don’t think the village was in much of a mood to celebrate. ”

“You think they will be now?” Lira asked.

Sass sat forward. “Sure, they will. Things have changed. Good things have come to Wayside.” She winked. “If I do say so myself.”

“I won’t argue with you there.” Iris twirled the usual strand of hair around one finger. “You girls have brought some energy back to the village. Why, you even inspired Pip to create lemon sweet rolls.”

“That’s worth a party by itself,” Cali said.

Sass got a faraway look in her eyes. “You can say that again.”

Lira joined Iris to stand in front of the low fire. “You’re sure we can convince the village to have a Night Faire so soon?”

“How soon are we talking?” Sass asked.

“We don’t know how long we have before whoever tried to get through the wall will do it again.” Lira exchanged a nervous glance with Iris, thinking of the sinister Rygor. “The Night Faires were always on the night of a new moon, and that’s this Saturni.”

Sass let out a low whistle. “You’re sure we can pull this off?”

Iris tightened the curl around her finger as she considered it. “I do, and we only have to get a few more vendors onboard to make it happen.”

“We already have the tavern and the town apothecary,” Sass said.

“Then we divide and conquer to get everyone else.”

Sass’s arm shot into the air. “Lira and I volunteer to talk to Pip and Fenni.”

“Cheat,” Cali mumbled with a grin.

Sass smirked at her. “Never let it said that a dwarf passed up a chance for food.”

“We’ll go first thing in the morning,” Lira added. “I need to go to the market anyway.”

“And I can talk to Tin,” Sass said.

Lira shook her head at the dwarf, certain that another visit to the haberdasher would mean more cushions for Val’s chair. “Then I can stop by the blacksmith and wheelwright workshops later. I need to stop by anyway.”

Sass arched a brow. “Do you? ”

Lira ignored the burn of her cheeks.

“I can talk to the innkeeper since I’m staying there,” Cali offered. “She seems a friendly sort.”

Iris nodded. “Ginnie won’t say no. She loves a good party. I’m happy to visit the shop owners across from me and talk to the stall owners I know. I’ll also need to talk to someone about paper for the lanterns.”

“What about the laird?” Cali asked. “Won’t the castle want to take part?”

Iris frowned. “Not much of a staff left anymore, and the old laird stopped taking part in village happenings a long time ago.”

“What do you think Rygor will say when he finds out?” Lira asked.

Sass slipped off the end of the chair and yawned. “Hopefully he won’t find out until it’s too late to do anything about it. It’s always easier to ask forgiveness than permission anyway.”

“Why do you need to be forgiven?”

Their faces swung toward the doorway, startled that Vaskel had slipped inside. Between her own weariness and the crackling of the fire, Lira hadn’t heard a thing. Was she slipping?

Cal and Lira exchanged a speaking look, both nodding. They couldn’t keep the plan from their friend. Not when he could be put to such good use.

Lira walked toward the Tiefling. “Are you up for one last heist as a crew?”

Vaskel’s eyes flashed interest.

“If we pull it off, it will enrage the wyvern,” Cali added.

Vaskel’s grin was almost feline. “Name the time and place.”