“I am sorry that we couldn’t get any of the wyvern blood or even better, that tail,” Alice was saying as they entered the bar.

“Yeah,” said Isa, “if Mery had been with us, those gnolls--”

A figure at the bar turned. “Gnolls? Can’t say I’ve ever sought out their company.”

“Mery!” Isa ran toward her friend and hugged her tight.

“Tris was just telling me that you’d turned up again.” Mery grinned. “Couldn’t stay away, then? Missing the adventuring life?” She seemed to notice Alice for the first time. “Mery Braydon. Pleased to meet you. Your name wouldn’t be Alice, would it?”

“How did you know that?” Alice smiled. “Did Tris tell you?”

“No, your fame precedes you.”

“I did tell her,” Tris called out.

“But I knew it already,” Mery shook her head and smiled. “If Isa was going to come back to Varana, she’d have to bring Alice.”

Alice looked from Mery to Isa. “But we barely knew--”

“My friend,” said Isa, “has a good memory. I mentioned you once.”

“Twice,” said Mery. “Princess Alice from the land of Vermand.”

“Vermont,” Alice and Isa both corrected her at the same time.

Mery ignored their words, stepped back and put her hands on her hips. “You’ve been to the wars, haven’t you? And barely made it back?” To Lund she said, “Tris tells me you’ve a wyvern in the neighborhood. You didn’t go….”

Lund thumped his greatsword down on the bar. “We did.”

“And you survived.” Mery’s voice lilted up at the end as if she was asking instead of telling.

“Apparently.” Lund sat down. “But it was a close thing. Right now I am thankful for Anne Merchant and her half-price potions.”

“I’ll drink to that,” said Alice.

“Did I hear this one,” Mery hooked a thumb at Isa, “say something about gnolls?”

“They helped us.” Alice looked from Mery to Lund. “That’s weird, right?”

The front door banged open, and Anne strode in. She had a basket on one arm. “2 for 1 sale! 2 for-- Where the hell is everyone? I thought I was gonna do a brisk business in potions today.” She turned around, holding her arms out, the basket rocking gently to the movement.

“I could use a couple potions,” said Mery. “Sounds like I’m heading into adventure.” She slapped her belly. “Good thing. Deney’s making me soft. Beds and fires, hot meals and fine wine. Why I--”

“You don’t have to drink all the wine.” Anne sounded a little petulant.

“But it’s there!” Mery laughed and handed a stack of coins to Anne.

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“Did you know about the bracelet?” Alice held her arm out to Anne.

“This one,” Anne said to Mery, “rummages around in my cart - I know! - and comes up with this. Find Familiar.” Looking like a proud mother she said to Alice, “Well, where is it? Here black beauty. Here!”

Peck landed on Alice’s shoulder and cawed at Anne, its body rocking back and forth with each sound.

“So you did know?” Alice seemed to study Anne. “You wanted me to-- But--”

“Babe, relax.” Isa put her hand on Alice’s arm. “What’s the harm?”

“No harm. I just--”

Tris brought a pitcher and glasses to Lund’s spot. “A pick-you-up.” She poured a glass and handed it to Lund, who blindly held it out for someone to take.

Isa took the glass and handed it to Alice. “Relax,” she said softly. “These are good people. Friends.”

Alice sat down beside Lund. “What did you call him, the head gnoll?”

“Snapjaw,” Lund replied.

“You know him?” Isa reached past for a glass and the pitcher. She poured a glass for Anne who waved it away.

“Snapjaw is a hero of the gnolls,” Mery replied. “Like a folk hero. ‘Let me tell you the story of Snapjaw and the wicked snake.’ That sort of thing.” She smiled at Lund. “You haven’t been messing with heroes, have you?”

“He had a shield and a breastplate. Knew how to handle himself, so I called him ‘Snapjaw.’ Big deal.” Lund shrugged and took a long drink.

Dimly Isa heard Tris say to Anne, “Do you have more of that poultice?” And the merchant happily thumped her basket on the bar to haggle.

“Sorry I missed the action,” Mery said.

Isa tilted her head. “Plenty more on the way. I was hoping to get your help for a quest I have. That we have.” She gestured to Alice.

“How long you been back? Not wasting time, then?”

“It is a long story, but the highlight? A goddess gave us a quest. Lady of Lockwood. Ever heard of her?”

Mery shrugged. “Elven?”

“Oh yeah,” said Isa. “Definitely. She brought me here - us - and I have to do this big, important quest.” Isa reached for her notebook. “Ever been to the….”

“Hinterlands,” said Lund.

“Right. Right. Good memory. We--”

Lund interrupted Isa. “I was reading it.”

“Oh,” Isa gave him a smile. “That’s cool. So this goddess, Ysel--”

“In my notebook,” Lund went on.

Isa turned toward him. “In your….”

He waggled his notebook in the air. “Yeah. Would someone like to explain how I got this quest?” He laid his notebook on the bar and picked up his glass of beer.

Peck hopped from Alice’s shoulder to the bar and strutted over to stand on the book.

“Did you have something to do with this,” Lund asked the bird.

“Gaw,” said Peck. “Caw-caw.”

“That goddess of yours, did you tell her my name?” Lund half rose from his seat at the bar.

Isa looked at Alice. “I don’t-- I don’t think so?”

“He’s not really mad.” Mery stepped between Lund and Isa. “You’re not mad! Don’t even pretend. Adventure, loot, good friends, doing good. Gods help me, it’s right up your lane. And the-- what’s the reward?”

“500.”

“And how much,” Mery lowered her voice, “how much do you still owe on this place?”

“Almost 3,000.”

“Well that’s rather nice! Cut it by a third with one adventure.”

“A third?” Isa broke in. “That’s not--”

“She’s giving me her’s, too. Isn’t that what you mean, Mery?” Lund’s voice was quiet. “But that’s silly, and it doesn’t matter because I’m not going.”

“It’s a sacred quest there, Subash.” Mery pulled the notebook toward her. “Given by the, ah, Lady of Lockwood herself.”

“I didn’t ask for it,” he said.

“And yet, there it sits in your log. Fate.” Mery shut the book and pushed it toward Lund. She gestured at Tris and Anne at the far end of the bar. “Tris will be fine! One of the girls can help, or that cute lad from the smithey. The 4 of us? What a team, eh? Brawn and brains and--” Mery stopped and looked at Isa. “What’s it you do again, lass? And the princess, of course, tossing spells like flower petals.” Mery sighed. “Think of the stories yet to be!”

“I’m not saying yes,” said Lund.

“But you’re not saying no!” Isa grinned and finished her beer.