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Chapter Twenty-Three | Book 2

I'd thought Elixander didn't like me, and maybe I was right about that, but after he told me that heavy story about his aging wife, I felt sorry for him. I also felt a measure of respect. Once he and I got to chatting, it turned out Elixander was, despite his cold and seemingly bored at every damn thing around him attitude, an intriguing individual.

He asked a few questions about the tavern and what it was like running The Shadow's Respite. He had spotted Lady Churl in the kitchen and had withheld any comments. I held out for the worst, expecting him to have the same biases as others who had fought in the recent war against Morthisal and his army of green skins. Instead, he had this to offer.

"Many years ago, peace existed between the majority of the races of Mythralon. I knew some fine goblins at that time. I have also known that many wanted nothing more than to wage war. It is no different than with humans."

"That's a fair point about humans. Lady Churl has become a good friend to me and I can say with all honesty that I would not have been able to accomplish all of this," I gestured around the tavern, "without her."

I nodded as Elixander spoke about his experiences with different races and cultures. "It's fascinating to hear about your time among the goblins," I said. "I've come to appreciate Lady Churl's friendship and her unique perspective on things."

Elixander's expression remained impassive, but he inclined his head slightly. "Indeed. Goblins can be fiercely loyal friends, just as they can be formidable enemies. It is not so different from the relationship between gnomes and elves. They were once bitter rivals, but that enmity has long since faded into history."

As we conversed, I couldn't help but notice Elixander's gaze occasionally drifting to the empty barstools near the back wall. He likely sensed the presence of Garin and Lady Ophelia, but I couldn't exactly come out and ask if he could see their ghostly attendance.

Instead, I casually remarked, "Is there a fruit fly buzzing around? I've been trying to get rid of them for over a week now."

Elixander's eyes snapped back to me, and he waved a dismissive hand. "No, it's not that. I can occasionally sense spirits from, shall we say, other realms. This tavern, and indeed, all of Everspring, was built over ruins far older than even I."

I raised my eyebrows. "Really? I had no idea."

"It is one of the reasons I came to visit, aside from seeing my daughter," Elixander admitted. "I wanted to assist with the investigation into the underground city. Word reached me after the first rumblings about its discovery. It should come as no surprise that there may be spirits lurking. You have nothing to worry about. Most of those who were not accepted into the heavy realms have little power here, if any at all."

"He is a rude little elf," Lady Ophelia remarked. "No power. I suppose our work to hide Varix was nothing," she said and waved dismissively.

"I knew this elf in life. He is a truly honorable elf and is worthy of my highest regard. I wish you could tell him this for me, Varix." Sir Garin lowered his head toward Elixander.

I leaned forward. "That's fascinating. I'm sure any spirits who haunt my tavern would be honored to meet you."

Elixander's eyebrow quirked up at that. "You certainly have an interesting outlook, Varix. You have the look of a younger person but the insight of someone wiser."

"Thanks." I didn't add that I've seen some shit.

"Shall we rejoin the table before they begin to talk about us?"

"Of course," I said, standing up. "Thank you for being so upfront about your feelings regarding my relationship with Seraphina. And I apologize for being rude when we first met in town. It wasn't my finest moment."

Elixander brushed off my apology with a wave of his hand. "Think nothing of it. I wasn't offended."

As we shook hands, Elixander's expression turned serious. "I am glad Seraphina has found someone, but you two need to have a deep and serious discussion about your relationship and where it could lead. Seraphina will live for several centuries. Though not as long as a true elf, it is still a very long time compared to a human lifespan."

I nodded. "I understand. I'm sure we will talk, but I'm going to be honest, Elixander. I care about Seraphina a great deal. I don't want to think about a life without her. I hope you understand."

He nodded, and I sensed a hint of sadness in his look.

Just as Elixander turned to leave, he paused and looked back at me. "I understand that you were injured and lost your memory after the war. Is that correct?"

I kept my expression neutral, but my heart suddenly broke into a gallop. Did he suspect something? "Yes, that's right. It's been a challenge, but in some ways, it's nice to have a fresh start in life."

Elixander studied me for a moment, his face an unreadable mask. "I'm not well-versed in healing, but I have some knowledge. I may be able to help you recover your memories, if you wish."

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He reached out a hand, and I instinctively shied away, fearing that his touch might somehow reveal the truth about my existence in Morthisal's body. I forced a smile and shook my head. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm fine the way I am for now. I'll be right back. I should poke my head in the kitchen and see if my staff needs anything."

Elixander nodded slowly, his gaze lingering on me momentarily before he turned and walked back to the table where Delphine and Seraphina were seated.

I walked into the kitchen to check on Lady Churl, Jessara, and Milo to see if they had things under control. Lady Churl was busy cutting and chopping ingredients; her murder-chef knife crunched into vegetables with abandon. A pile of onions sat off to the side. It appeared they were getting ready for tomorrow's stew since so few customers were in attendance.

Jessara had her head stuck in the cooler, rummaging around for something. Milo stood over the grill, spatula in hand, ready to cook.

I smiled at my hardworking staff. "You're all doing a great job. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Lady Churl waved me off. "Nah, we got it under control, boss. Reckon you can spend more time with that handsome elf."

I laughed, surprised by her comment. "You think he's good-looking?"

"There's somethin' about them eyes and ears," she said with a shrug. "Reckon there was somethin' about Seraphina you must like, too. Might be that's the reason, yeah?"

"It's a little more than that for me, Lady Churl. But you do you." I grinned at my green friend.

Jessara said, "Mr. V., we're almost out of ale."

I nodded. "I hope tomorrow's event night will bring in some new, fresh ales. Do we have any in reserve?"

"Sorry, Mr. V. We're out," Milo added. "I went through the store room. Unless there's some hiding downstairs."

"Only thing hiding downstairs is whatever's tryin' ta rip the ground out from under us." Lady Churl grimaced.

I looked back toward the main room and had a thought, but returned my attention to my staff, who had it all well in hand right now. With fewer customers coming to the tavern, they were able to keep up with the flow.

"Alright. Push mixed drinks as much as you can. Adjust the price of the Orange Blush so it matches ale and beer prices. I can mix them in the event we get busy. Otherwise, I'll be at the booth with Seraphina and her family. I'm trying to make a good impression and all that."

"Go on, Boss." Lady Churl waved me off.

The meal was enjoyable, and Seraphina talked about her work bringing light to the village. I'd been quite impressed with her ingenuity. We wouldn't ever be able to talk about the fact that her idea was based on modern Earth's ability to harness and store solar energy.

Elixander leaned forward, intrigued. "How do you infuse the crystals with magic?" he asked.

"I've been refining my gem-enchanting techniques. By integrating elemental affinities, I'm able to imbue each stone with more focused and precise magical properties."

I had no idea what any of that meant, but I knew Glimmer had imparted some of this knowledge to her. That was not to diminish her work. Seraphina was brilliant and had worked out the intricacies on her own. I wondered if Seraphina's father knew about the strange crystalline chameleon.

Elixander leaned forward with an inquisitive look. "Elemental affinities? And how are you managing to stabilize these affinities within the gemstone's structure?"

Seraphina’s lips curved into a knowing smile as she replied. "The initial binding ritual is crucial. I combine ancient elven incantations with modern harmonic frequency manipulation. This synchronization between the gem’s natural resonance and a specific elemental frequency ensures stability. Once I have the gem working in conjunction with the charging stone, it is a simple matter of harnessing the sun's rays. They then impart their energy into the illuminating stones."

Elixander nodded thoughtfully. His eyes were sharp. "Impressive, and a clever solution. But harmonics are a delicate matter. Misaligned frequencies can lead to catastrophic mutual interference."

"Exactly. My human ingenuity probably came into play. A touch of transmutation helps fine-tune the gem’s internal resonance. This delicate adjustment allows for perfect harmonic alignment, ensuring stability."

Seraphina glanced at me. I smiled, quite impressed with my girlfriend's knowledge.

Elixander leaned back, visibly impressed despite his attempts to appear contemplative. "A balanced blend of our elven heritage and your human innovation."

"Why, thank you, father. I had an excellent teacher."

He inclined his head and gave her a brief smile.

"What kind of magic do you practice, Elixander?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"That is a little hard to explain. I've been a practitioner for a long time," he said. "Doing magic is as easy as breathing, but there is a toll. My power is strong but can quickly grow tiring. I must call and bend different elements. Simply willing magic to happen is only half the struggle. In many ways, what Seraphina does is much more complex than my spells. In most instances, I rely on raw power. Forces lurk beyond the shroud, always waiting, hoping for a mistake. A magic user can easily be burned to a crisp or frozen in place for eternity if they are not careful and fully understand the many properties at play. Elves are ideally suited to be powerful mages because they have centuries to learn and master the arts."

He fixed me with a curious gaze. "Have you ever used magic, Varix? You have the aura of a former mage."

I shook my head quickly. "No, I have no interest in learning or performing magic. As a humble tavern owner, I'm more than happy with my life." The truth was, to use magic, I would have to remove The Heart of Shadows. If I did that, I would be exposed to the kind of magic those around me would be pretty unhappy about because they were of the undead variety. “Forces lurk beyond the shroud” Elixander had said, and in my case, some of those forces would be happy to rip me to shreds.

Just as Elixander began to say something else, the recurring trouble beneath the tavern started again. The floor shook lightly at first but then began to pick up. A series of loud thumps sounded.

I got to my feet, and Elixander was in step with me. A soft blue glow emanated from the elf.

"That's been going on for a couple of days."

Elixander stared at the floor. He lifted his hands and muttered something under his breath. His eyes squinted for a moment before he looked up at Seraphina. "Bring your staff, child. We must investigate this. I sense there are those who are in a great deal of trouble beneath us."

"Yes, Father," she said and stood.

Delphine sighed lightly, and looked at me with a slight smile. "I hope you can see what you are getting into."

I couldn't help but laugh at Seraphina's mother even as another tremor shook the foundation.