Nela could not believe what she was seeing. Centurla expected them all to fit around that small a table? They'd be elbow to elbow, leg to leg, packed more tightly than a...well, something very tightly packed.

Also, where had they gotten so many chairs?

She really should just stop questioning all this and take a seat. She pulled one chair slightly out, lowered herself into it, then shifted it back up to the table. Ronny did the same on her left, while Jelinia, seeming even smaller than before, did the same on the right.

The little house was not made for so many people at once. It would already be crowded with Centurla and her family. While the children waited by their chairs, her husband stood in the corner, his stony face giving away he wasn't going to be entirely friendly.

"Astorel," he said, noticing her looking at him.

"Nela," she answered in kind. No one was going to accuse her of giving them a cold welcome.

Centurla, meanwhile, was giving the contents of a large pot one final stir. "Just a moment," the woman said, as she began to ladle out the stew into a bowl. One after the other, she began to set bowls in from of each chair.

When Nela received her bowl, she immediately picked up the spoon and took a bite. It wasn't the most polite thing to do, but forget politeness. Nela was hungry after the long day of travel. And she wasn't the only one, as Edeline was already eating away.

It was not very good, Nela realized. It wasn't even a matter of comparing it to Hamond's cooking either - the stew lacked the taste Nela remembered from her family's cooking. Her former family, rather, but the point still remained. This was just...too thin and too watery. Not that it was stopping Edeline from eating rapidly, but that was just Edeline.

The trio of children took their seats across the table. "So as you heard, this is my husband, Astorel." Centurla indicated the man, who finally took his own chair. "These are my darlings. Udeola, Nomyla, and Orchomel."

Again, the oldest girl should have undergone the First Ascension by now. Nela had thought what Kalvarel had said about banning First Ascensions had been just another lie. Even if her grandfather had confirmed it wasn't good here, that was the one standard Nela had assumed - had hoped - her people would never abandon.

The truth was far worse.

If there really was no healer left here, what could she even do? There was no way Ronny or Edeline would accept staying here long enough to work on the rites for everyone who needed it. And Nela wasn't about to abandon them for that. But letting the situation stand, letting the elves vanish from the world, was not an option either.

Not to mention Ronny, who had looked on edge all day, would probably be unhappy if she brought the matter up. So as much as she disliked keeping her mouth shut, she ought to-

"So I heard that you don't have a healer here in Faehaven," Ronny said, setting his spoon down. "Is that right?"

Nela nearly spit out her stew.

"Where did you hear that?" Astorel gave Ronny a grim look. Nela figured it was some mix of anger and worry, but sorting out how much of which would take the entire meal's time and then some.

"From one of the villagers of Verdan." Ronny remained calm. "I just don't see how you get by with this many people and no healer."

"We make do," Astorel answered, "Same as we always have."

Centurla's face told Nela there was more to it than that. So there was disagreement about the matter there. They weren't here to kindle an old argument though, so it might be a good idea to back off that topic.

"Uh, so what's in this stew?" Might as well figure out what made it taste different.

"Just odds and ends. We got the meat and herbs from-"

Astorel shot his wife a warning glance.

"-from nearby," Centurla finished.

Aether's blood. Nela had to try not to roll her eyes. "Come on, we know about the trading with Verdan. You can just say where you got the stuff."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

The silent look the two shared confirmed it. They were hiding something about this too. Maybe they were trading with a different village, and wanted to keep them safe? That would make sense, especially after Verdan.

It did leave Nela wondering what else they could talk about. Either it would be a matter that poked into the secrets here in Faehaven, or a topic that threatened to expose something about Edeline. Nela had seen bramble patches out in the wilds that were less thorny than this.

"Regardless, it's not bad," Hamond spoke up, nudging his bowl. "I'd have added more fresh parsnips, myself."

"You're a cook?" Astorel asked.

"The best," Edeline answered, then blushed slightly.

"I, uh, did most of the cooking while we traveled, yes," Hamond said, sounding a bit flustered himself. "Nela helped with the rest."

"Wouldn't call myself as good at that as he is, but I do what I can." Nela shrugged. Her real skill was as a healer, even if she'd signed up as a cook for Ronny's men.

"No need to be so humble," Centurla said cheerily, "Surely there's something you're skilled at."

And right into the bramble patch they went. Changing the topic suddenly would be as good as admitting they were hiding shit, that much Nela knew. But being honest here would just circle back to the earlier problem. One way or the other, she'd gotten herself cornered.

Counting on him knowing some way out of this, Nela discretely nudged Ronny with her elbow. At least, she hoped it was discrete.

Ronny let out a heavy sigh. "Just tell them."

"Tell us what?" The smile on Centurla's face faded.

Nela supposed she had no choice now. "I'm a healer."

They all froze for a moment.

Then chaos.

"Astorel-" Centurla started to say.

"Not happening." The Elefae man rose to his feet.

"You promised!" The oldest of the girls turned on her father, standing up so fast that the chair wobbled.

"That was the deal we agreed to with the girls." Centurla scowled.

"You can't expect me to believe that this...this upstart who just came out of nowhere is a healer." Despite the defiance in his voice, Astorel took a step back.

"Then let her prove it!" Centurla's voice rose. "We've put it off long enough. Our children deserve better than this."

"So you'd let her take a knife in hand and give our children over to her? You just met her today!"

"She can show her healing skills without that! Why are you being so-"

"Enough!" Ronny's voice rang out sharply, silencing them both. "Nela?"

"I'd show you if I could," Nela said, thinking back to her lessons with the old man. "But if you use healing magic on someone who's already healthy, they won't be healthy for long. And I'm not fool enough to ask anyone here to hurt themselves just to make me look better. No good healer would try to pull shit like that."

Astorel's mouth dropped open, face paling. Where that reaction came from, Nela had no idea.

"I can confirm she's not lying about being a healer," Ronny added.

Though Astorel could not be all that old, he suddenly seemed ancient, shrinking down on himself in defeat. "Do what you will."

Pure joy was the only way Nela could think of to describe the look on his oldest daughter's face. "Thank you! Thank you!"

Centurla circled the table, grabbing Nela's hand. "You don't know how long it's been. I'd just about given up." Tears of relief were flowing down her face.

"Hold on." Nela pulled her hand free. "I haven't agreed to anything yet. So can you all just sit your arses down and tell me just what's going on here?"

That shut them up. The family returned to their seats, packing back in one after the other. For a moment, they all sat in silence.

Finally the oldest daughter, Udeola, spoke. "Father promised us that we could get the First...First Ascension if another healer visited and did it."

"That was the deal," Centurla confirmed.

Another healer? Nela was unable to keep herself from grinning. They'd confirmed it beyond any doubt. There was another healer somewhere in hiding here. It was just a matter of figuring out who it was and tracking them down.

And tracking them down would be needed. There was no way Nela was going to be able to stay, and these people needed a healer. Word would get around once she helped their daughter, and there would be more who would ask for help. That too was part of being a healer, as she'd learned from her grandfather. The work never ended.

"Well?" Udeola asked, pleading.

Nela took a deep breath. "I'll do it, but I'll need something in return."

"What do you want?"

"We have business in Kelshir." As long as she kept it vague what they were going to do, Ronny or the others shouldn't object. "So could you tell us any information you have about getting inside the city?"

"That's easy." Udeola said, "You can just use the-"

"Udeola!" This time, Astorel and Centurla both raised their voices. Even more secrets? Maybe this was asking too much of them.

Too late to back down now. "Is it a deal then?" Nela asked.

"We'll...see what we can do," Centurla offered hesitantly, "But that will have to come tomorrow. For now, let's finish eating."

Nela almost didn't want to, but better to not push their luck further. She took another bite. Now that it had cooled a bit...it was even worse.

They'd have to see about getting Hamond set up with whatever he needed to cook. A whole five days of this was not something Nela could stand. She wasn't about to ask any of the others to put up with the same.

"Can I have some more?" Edeline asked.

Alright, so to correct that: Nela wasn't about to ask Ronny to put up with it. Edeline just had no taste.

And Nela wasn't going to let her forget it.