The night went okay after The Shadow's Respite opened its doors. I was a little depressed about how much money we made–or didn’t make. Once again, the baron's meddling was taking a toll on our bottom line.

Caden stopped by for a quick drink before the doors closed. After a warm greeting, he hopped onto one of the bar stools. I leaned against the bar, wiping down a glass as Caden’s eyes swept over the tavern, taking in the empty tables still set for dinner.

"How's business going?" he asked, his tone casual.

I set the glass down with a sigh. "Honestly? We're facing a few setbacks," I admitted. "Our supplies have been limited, especially when it comes to alcohol."

Caden's brow furrowed. "That's odd. I thought you had deals in place with traders from Tidewater Harbor."

I glanced around, making sure we were alone, then leaned in close. "It's the baron," I whispered. "He's bought out a lot of the regular supply lines I was using. The son of a bitch has made deals to undercut me here in town. But keep that under your hat, alright? I'd prefer to handle this on my own."

Caden frowned. "That damn baron," he growled and smacked his fist in his palm. "I'd like to have a chat with him myself."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "You and me both," I agreed, straightening up.

Caden was interested in The Shadow's Respite because he was one of my first investors, and he got a share of the profits—something I wasn't turning right now.

As I reached for a pair of mugs, I changed the subject. "So, how are things going with you and Shell?"

Caden's expression softened. He sighed deeply. "Things are great, but... we're having trouble deciding if we should move in together."

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue as I poured us each a beer.

"Shell wants us to get married first," Caden explained, running a hand through his hair. "But I think we should live together first, you know? To make sure we're ready for marriage."

I nodded, sliding a mug towards him. As Caden took a sip, I mulled over his dilemma. Caden and Shell were a good couple. He'd talked about her while we were on our way to Everspring months ago.

Sir Garin's ghostly figure spoke up. "Sometimes it's best to set a date for these things. A trial period often clears up misgivings."

I tried not to react visibly to Garin's presence as he continued. "My wife and I had a similar problem once. We took a holiday together, and upon returning home, we found we'd enjoyed staying in inns together so much that we decided to move in for a trial period."

Lady Ophelia rolled her eyes at Garin. "Oh please," she scoffed. "Life's too short for endless reflection." She turned her gaze on me. "Like us, darling. The old us. We didn't live together before we were wed."

"Weren't you sold to Morthisal by your father?"

"Well. Yes. It worked out well, except for Morthisal killing me. I suppose my father almost got that one right."

I blinked, processing their advice, and tried to pretend like a couple of undead companions weren't having a chat with me. Caden, oblivious to my ghostly companions, looked at me.

I cleared my throat. "What if you proposed a specific period of time for living together before getting married?"

Caden tilted his head, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"Well," I continued, "you could agree to live together for, say, three to six months, with a clear intention of getting married afterward if everything works out. Setting a definitive plan might ease Shellen's concerns about delaying marriage indefinitely. You know how you could test this for a shorter time?"

"How?" Caden asked.

"Why don't you ask her to take a short vacation with you? Go away for a week or two and stay at an inn. She might want to move in when you get back, or maybe she’ll find she can’t live with you putting your dirty socks on the table."

Caden laughed. "That's... actually an excellent idea, Varix. It's a good compromise."

I nodded. "It gives you time to adjust to living together while also showing Shellen you're serious about marriage."

"Exactly!" Caden grinned and slapped the bar in excitement. "And if things don't work out, we'll know before making a bigger commitment. But they will work out. Shellen and I were made for each other."

"I understand the sentiment," I said as I thought of Seraphina. I refilled Caden's mug. "It's a trial run with a clear endpoint. No pressure."

Caden took a long drink, then set his mug down with a satisfied sigh. "I can't believe I didn't think of this before. Thanks, Varix. I'll talk to Shell about it tomorrow."

"I wish you the best of luck, my friend."

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

After Caden left, I locked the door and stood there for a few minutes.

I only had two days to get ready for the big event night. There was still so much to do—finalizing the menu, stocking up on supplies, and promoting the event to ensure a good turnout.

With a sigh, I turned and surveyed the tavern. Milo, Jessara, and Lady Churl were already cleaning up, wiping down tables and sweeping the floor. I pitched in, and together we made quick work of it.

Once everything was tidy, we gathered at the bar for a quick drink. Grondak was still busy in the kitchen, but I set out a mug for him when he was done. As I poured us all a little cheap beer, I noticed Milo seemed nervous and fidgety. He kept glancing at the door as if he couldn't wait to leave.

"Everything okay, Milo?" I asked, handing him his mug.

"What? Oh, yeah, everything's fine," he replied, not quite meeting my eyes.

I had noticed, more than once, that Milo had been sheepish when talking about what he did before or after work. It wasn't any of my business, but before I could drop the subject, Jessara interjected.

"He's seeing a girl," she announced with a smirk.

"Jessara!" Milo's face turned red. He went to punch Jessara in the arm, but she leaped off her chair and threw her arms up in defense. Milo quickly backed away from her and sat back down.

"I don't want to fight you again," Milo grumbled. "Don't make me tell Mom what you did last time."

Jessara laughed, clearly unfazed by his threat. Lady Churl leaned forward. "What'd she do?" the goblin asked.

Milo brushed over the question, but Jessara was more than happy to share. "I held him down and made him proclaim me the queen of Everspring," she said with a grin. Milo looked uncomfortable, his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. Jessara continued, "Anyway, this girl Milo's dating - she's really cute. I'm surprised he managed to get her to go out with her."

"Shut up, Jessara!" Milo glared at his sister.

But Jessara wasn't done. "She works at the Wandering Boar."

Milo's eyes widened, and he fiercely turned to the rest of us. "Her name is Lily Fairwind," he said, his voice tight with emotion. "And she's funny and cute, and I really like her."

This was an interesting turn of events.

He then looked at me. "I'm sorry, Mr. V. I didn't want to say anything before because I didn't want you to ask me to spy on the Wandering Boar through her."

I shook my head, surprised that Milo would even think that. "I would never ask you to do something like that," I assured him. "I believe we'll beat the baron in our own way through hard work. We have the event night coming up, and it's going to bring in plenty of business. But, Milo, I have to ask this, and I'm sorry if this hurts your feelings, but the baron has been underhanded at every turn and is actively trying to run us out of business. Are you certain this girl is interested in you?"

"Of course she is, Mr. V. She really likes me! She doesn't ask about the tavern. We sometimes talk about our work, but that's because we have similar jobs."

I briefly pondered his words. Milo could be a little dense at times, but he genuinely had a good heart. I hated to think that this girl might be dating Milo just to spy on us for the Baron. My eyes briefly darted to my ghosts.

I clapped him on the shoulder. "Of course. And hey, I'm happy for you. Lily sounds great. You should bring her by."

"Eh…" Jessara said.

"She's not spying for the baron. She likes me," Milo's voice rose.

"Milo. Look at yourself. Then look at her. She's only with you to spy on The Shadow's Respite."

"She's not spying on the tavern, Jessara. You're so untrusting."

I'd have to keep my eyes on her if she came by. Even if she was up to something nefarious in the baron's name, what could she learn from coming to the tavern?

"Don't worry, Mr. V. She's only part-time at The Wandering Boar. She told me she's never seen the baron in his tavern."

That sounded about right.

"There's nothing to worry about, Milo, " I said. "Don't let Jessara's teasing get to you. If you like this girl, I'm sure everything will work out."

Jessara rolled her eyes.

After my crew departed, I locked the front door of The Shadow's Respite, ready to call it a night. Just as I turned to head upstairs, a loud noise rumbled from beneath the floorboards. No. Deeper. The noise had actually made the tavern's frame shiver.

"Lady Churl?" I called out. "Are you okay down there?"

After a moment, her voice drifted up. "I'm alright, boss. Reckon it's them things what's under the ground. Them's gettin' louder."

My curiosity piqued, and I hesitated before asking, "Mind if I come down and take a look?"

Lady Churl fell silent for a minute. Finally, she replied, "Aye, reckon that's fine."

The trap door flew open with a bang, startling me. I peered down at the stairs, realizing I'd rarely ventured into the cellar since Lady Churl had claimed it as her domain. The space had always seemed impossibly small, and I wondered what the previous owner could have possibly stored down there.

As I contemplated the strange noises, a thought struck me. Maybe the previous owner had heard them, too, and had decided to lock up the cellar for good.

A lantern light appeared below, casting a warm glow on the ladder. I turned around and carefully lowered myself down.

I knew Lady Churl had used some of her reward money to spruce up her living space, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. A door stood open, its frame adorned with ornate gold trim and strange symbols on the surface.

"That there's goblin script." Lady Churl nodded at the words. "Spells me name."

"It's lovely," I told her, genuinely impressed.

As we stepped into her room, my jaw dropped. Lady Churl had transformed the space into a cozy, goblin dwelling.

An unexpectedly elegant four-poster bed dominated the space, with a dark wooden frame carved with goblin symbols and twining vines that cascaded from the bedposts. Delicate green drapes, looking as if they were spun from leaves and twigs, hung from the bedposts. The bedspread was a patchwork of earthy tones, with patterns that seemed to mimic soft mosses, hearty ferns, and fallen brown leaves. Lying upon the bed was Morth. Upon spotting me, the cat languidly stretched and rolled over, eyes on me.

"Hey, Morth." I greeted the cat and rubbed his back, then turned to Lady Churl. "Does Morth stay here a lot?"

She shrugged. "Might be he likes it here."

The cat stood and bumped my hand with his head, so I scratched him behind the ears. I was rewarded with a deep purr.

Lady Churl fidgeted nervously. "Whatcha think, boss?" she mumbled, seeming almost embarrassed.

"Lady Churl. Are you embarrassed? This room is wonderful," I assured her. "I'm glad you've made this space your own. You should be proud-"

My words were cut short as the floor shook beneath us. A deep, powerful sound reverberated through the earth.

Lady Churl's eyes widened. "That's new," she whispered. "Louder and more powerful than before."

"Ale and ashes!" I stared at the ground. "What in the world is living beneath The Shadow's Respite?" And how do we make sure it stays down there?