Page 43 of When the Baker Met the Dragon

Sio purrs loudly, jumps onto the cot, and curls up.

“Guess he’s not telling his secrets,” I say.

Kaya’s eyes dance in the dawn’s first gray light. “How about we sleep for another hour. For Sio.”

“Right. For Sio.”

The fire somehow brought itself back to life and it crackles quietly as we doze. I can’t remember ever being this at ease. I could live in this very room for eternity. I almost laugh at myself, but I’m too drowsy. Never in my life have I wanted to remain in the same place. But now, I definitely do.

The tripback is full of conversations about Kaya’s new whisks, the fire eaters who performed in the city’s main square on our way out, and Sio’s grudge against shrub gryphons.

“It’s a question of respect,” Sio says sharply.

“How exactly was he being rude to you?” I ask.

Kaya grimaces, like maybe I shouldn’t have queried for details.

Sio’s tail whips back and forth, hitting me in the cheek because I’m sitting behind the bench in the empty back section of the cart again.

“He should have bowed upon my arrival,” Sio says.

I frown at the cat. “And these creatures are taught to do that by…”

“By their elders. It is the way of things in the world of smaller mammals.”

“Maybe the shrub gryphons are more bird than mammal and that’s why they behave differently.”

Sio glares and curls up on the bench. His eyes close, and I guess that subject is shut as well.

“So you think Rychell can find you some of that purple turmeric?” I ask.

Kaya nods and lightly lifts the reins so they touch Tamar. The horse speeds up. “I wasn’t about to buy spice from another merchant. I have faith in her.”

“It tasted amazing.”

“Agreed. Those buns would have been rather plain without it. The texture wasn’t quite right. Too stodgy.”

I nod even though I didn’t notice anything. She’s the expert.

“They would go well with a creamed wishberry jam filling,” she says.

“Now, you’re talking.”

Her grin makes my stomach flip in a good way, a very good way. I have to stay on track.

We drive into town. Every surface glitters with the remains of a magical storm they must have had while we were gone. Lord Mayor Rustion, his staff, Grumlin the tavern keep, and even Rickon DeFleurtis and his group are sweeping and putting things to rights. DeFleurtis stops and looks my way and I give him a nod.

The map in my pocket feels hot and my fingers itch to take it out and retrace the area my ghost kin showed me.

Betilda helps Widow Warton gather scrolls that appear to have been flung from a tourist’s leather satchel. Betilda wiggles her eyebrows at us as we pass through the market square.

The stones around the fountain lift into the air, and a cloud of misty stone magic swirls around them. They drop and arrange themselves, now free of magical storm sparkles. I look up to see Rom giving us a wave. His stone magic is impressive.

Thankfully, the weather is perfect now. Tree blossoms float through the air, a few getting caught in Kaya’s hair. I pluck one out of the knot on top of her head and she laughs. I feel like I’m dreaming. If this is all she can give me, I’ll take it and be happy. She is a spring goddess, her skin glowing like she holds her own kind of fire magic. Sio leaps from her lap to the ground to trot beside us, and soon the trip is over. It will forever be a highlight of my life.

Chapter 24

Kaya