The tavern quickly returned to its previous state. Thanks, alcohol. The ruffians who had tried to disrupt my first Event Night were being hauled off to the town jail, and I couldn’t be more relieved it hadn’t escalated beyond the three being roughed up a little. No broken furniture, no blood on the floor, no damage—just a few bruised egos.

As I pushed through my patrons, I realized the mysterious woman who had been wandering around the tavern was no longer in the room. Either that, or she had ducked out of sight and was sitting in the back.

I poked my head in the kitchen to see how Lady Churl was doing.

"Everything's good here, boss. Was about to spill a little blood. Glad Grondak took care 'a the trash. Hate to slit a throat on a nice night like this.”

“I’m glad, as well. Grondak did great stepping up like that.”

“Aye. He’s a good kid.”

“That he is.”

Back in the main room, I moved through the patrons, thanking them for sticking around, shaking hands, and accepting hugs in a few cases. Kieran looked like nothing had happened. He gestured dramatically as he wove a tale about a brave knight and a mischievous sprite. His voice carried effortlessly over the chatter of the room as his hands gestured animatedly, painting invisible pictures. Not a single bead of sweat betrayed the earlier chaos.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head. The man thrived on attention, and even a near-brawl couldn’t shake his focus from his captive audience.

I turned my head up as a weird series of taps sounded from above, so I started for the stairs to investigate, but the noise went away, and didn't return immediately.

Grondak had returned to the kitchen after he’d lent his large frame to escorting the troublemakers out the door. I peeked into the back and found Jessara fawning over him while she gathered up a fresh batch of chicken wings.

But the patrons wouldn’t let him stay hidden.

“Grondak!” Old Man Guslan raised a half-empty mug. “Come out here! We owe you a drink!”

Others joined in, pounding tables and calling for him to return. “Grondak! Grondak! Grondak!”

The kitchen door creaked open, and Grondak peeked out, his brow furrowed. He looked at me, unsure.

“Go on,” I said, waving him toward his new fans. “They want to thank you.”

"Why thank! Grondak was having fun!"

He stepped out hesitantly.

"Just come out and face your public, buddy. They love you." I took his arm and pulled, which was a little like pulling an old tree. He only moved because he wanted to.

The bustling tavern seemed to swallow him at first, but then the cheers erupted. Villagers clapped him on the back, and others grabbed his arms, laughing and grinning as they spoke words too quickly or overlapping one another to understand.

“You're strong! Did you see the look on the face of the man you threw? He's going to need new small clothes after that!” one man yelled, tapping Grondak’s shoulder.

“Saved my pint from being spilled!” another added, lifting his glass in mock salute, then hiccuped loudly.

Grondak’s face softened, though I could see the bewilderment in his expression. He wasn’t used to being the center of attention. He looked at me again, clearly unsure how to handle all this sudden goodwill.

“Come on,” I said, motioning toward one of the vendors. “Follow me. There’s something you need to try.”

Grondak furrowed his brows but trailed close behind as I led him through the tavern. The villagers parted to let us through, and more hands reached out to pat his arms or shake his hand. He stumbled at one point, so distracted by the unexpected kindness that he nearly bumped into a chair. I caught his arm and guided him firmly toward the vendor stationed at the far end of the room.

The graying woman behind the table spotted us immediately, and her face lit up.

"I apologize. I did not catch your name," I told her.

"I'm Nella," she said, and looked Grondak over. “I’ve got just the thing for this hero. I've been led to understand you orcs like spicy food.”

Grondak tilted his head, eyes narrowing. “Heat good!"

“Dragon’s Breath Brew has plenty of heat," I assured him.

Nella nodded. She filled a mug to the top from a small keg and handed it over.

Grondak took the mug; his expression was cautious but curious. He sniffed it, and his brows lifted at the spicy aroma. Then, with a shrug, he tilted the mug back and drank it in three big swallows.

For a moment, he froze, then slowly lowered the mug. His mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out.

"Good?" I asked him.

"Very good heat!” he exclaimed, his voice carrying across the room.

Several patrons cheered him on, and raised their own mugs in solidarity. Grondak held out the mug again. Nella smiled and refilled it without hesitation. He turned to me, nodding vigorously. “Best drink! Ever!” Grondak declared.

"Glad you like it. You are always a big help around the tavern, but tonight, you went above and beyond. You're not only good in the back, but you make a great bouncer."

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Not know word bouncer! Is meaning that little man bounced when thrown?"

"That is exactly what it means," I said, laughing. "Now, why don't you go and accept some well-deserved praise, Grondak? You've earned it. And I will pay for as much Dragon’s Breath Brew as you want." I turned to Nella and nodded. She smiled back.

Grondak wandered off, nodding his head along to a song Kieran had started up.

"Nella," I began. "Your brew is fantastic, truly, but it might be a little too spicy for most of my patrons, although I have a feeling Old Man Guslan could gargle with it."

"Pardon?"

I shook my head. "Sorry. Just a weird turn of phrase."

"This batch was more of an experiment, to be honest. I wanted to see how far I could push the spiciness without losing the underlying flavor. Not for everyone, I know."

"Well," I said, gesturing toward Grondak, who was surrounded by cheering patrons. "It seems you've found a fan in him. And honestly, that's why I wanted to talk to you. If Grondak loves it, the other orcs will as well, and that's why I think we should work something out. Grondak just did more to make orcs a normal sight in my tavern and around the village than anything I could’ve managed on my own. As they put it, I've had a few hanging outside 'guarding' the place in the past, but I would like to see them in here as patrons more often."

Nella nodded, her expression thoughtful. "You’re thinking of keeping some Dragon's Breath on hand for them, then?"

"Exactly. I don’t need a full stock. Not yet, at least, but having a small supply might go a long way. If the orcs feel like they have something special here, it might encourage more of them to visit.” I gestured to the room. "And if more locals see orcs hanging out, laughing, drinking… It's hard to hold onto old prejudices when you’re sharing a table and a pint."

She grinned. “I like the sound of that. A small order to start?”

I nodded. "That’s the idea. I don’t want to overcommit until I see how often they come around and how much of it they drink. But I think this could be a win for both of us. I will mention you when I announce the winners."

She extended a hand, her grip strong despite her smaller stature. "You’ve got yourself a new partner, Varix. I’ll make sure I’ve got a steady batch ready. And if it takes off, we can adjust as needed.”

“Perfect.” I released her hand and glanced back at Grondak, who was now leading a table of patrons in some sort of chant that involved repeated thumps on the table. At one point, he bashed his forehead against the thick wood, and I yelled at him to take it easy, but my words were lost in the crowd's laughter.

Nella chuckled softly. "Thank you, Varix. For giving my brew a chance.”

"Thank you for making it," I replied. "We'll talk in a day or two."

A little bit later, Seraphina stepped through the door. She wore a deep purple dress that shimmered with silver threads woven through the fabric. Her bodice hugged her curves, while the skirt clung to her legs as she moved. Her raven-black hair fell in soft waves past her shoulders, held back by silver combs that matched her earrings. A black velvet choker with a small amethyst pendant completed her outfit.

She waved at me from across the room.

I crossed to her, took her hand, and pulled her close. "You look stunning." I kissed her softly, savoring the moment despite the bustle around us.

She smiled against my lips. "I'll be right back. Let me drop this off upstairs." She lifted a small leather bag I hadn't noticed.

When she returned, I took her hand and we walked among the vendors' tables. The smell of different brews filled the air as we sampled various offerings.

"The night seems to be going wonderfully," she said, squeezing my hand. "Everyone's having such a good time."

"It's been amazing. If business keeps up like this, I'll be out of the red much sooner than I thought." I paused at one of the tables and picked up two small samples. "Though we had a bit of excitement earlier. Some troublemakers tried to start something, but Grondak stepped up." I went on to recount the event she'd missed.

"I heard some commotion in town." She accepted one of the samples. "I'm just glad you're safe. And that no one got hurt." Her free hand touched my arm. "Though I suspect you could have handled it yourself if needed."

"Probably not. I've been in exactly zero tavern brawls. Grondak's become quite popular because of it."

"He's a good kid. A very big kid, but a good one."

"Next time I see Urzan, I'll let him know how well his son behaved."

"Grondak the bouncer. I bet Kieran could write the tale."

The hour grew late, and a few patrons began to call it a night. I moved to the front of the tavern, ready to announce the event's winners. But first, I conferred with Ragna, Roland, and Fie again to go over their votes. We were mostly in agreement, which made the announcement easier.

As I prepared to speak, the strange noise sounded again, like a woodpecker drilling into a tree. It lasted for a few seconds, then stopped. I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, but the patrons seemed oblivious, still chatting and laughing among themselves.

Shaking off the odd moment, I called for quiet. The room gradually settled, all eyes turning to me.

"I want to thank you all for coming out and joining us for the first event night at The Shadow's Respite," I said, my voice carrying across the room. "It means a lot to see so many of you here."

Old Man Guslan, his cheeks rosy from ale, yelled out, "It was a little more exciting than expected!"

The patrons laughed, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah, I didn't plan on tossing out ruffians tonight," I joked. "But I'm grateful for the assistance. Especially from Grondak."

Grondak, still surrounded by his new fans, lifted his mug. "No one threatens Grondak family!"

I was a little surprised at Grondak’s choice of words and frankly a little choked up, but I supposed we were a little family here.

"Well, I think we're all lucky to have you as part of our family, Grondak," I said, my voice a little rougher than usual.

The patrons cheered, raising their mugs in agreement.

I let the moment linger, then clapped my hands together. "All right, I know you're all waiting to hear our winners tonight. I'm excited to announce that we've selected not one, but two new brews that will soon be available exclusively here at The Shadow's Respite."

"First up," I said, "we have a brew that is dark and mysterious, like Lady Churl’s heart.”

“Bah!” Lady Churl chuckled behind me.

Kieran, reading the room, strummed his lute quickly for added effect. I grinned at him, and he lightly inclined his head back.

"First, how about a round of applause for our resident bard? A man who plays as well as he wields knives."

Kieran waved me off, but beamed as the crowd turned and clapped their hands for him. After the applause died down, I took a breath.

“Alright. In second place, Ravencloak Amber is a mature brew that goes down pretty nicely. I’m proud to offer Kenton a contract, if he’ll take it.”

“I will!” Kenton proclaimed and popped the cork out of an ale.

"Perfect. We'll work out the details in the coming days. I'm happy to have your finely crafted beer at The Shadow's Respite. And that brings me to first place, which was unanimous. I'm proud to award Frosted Wheat Ale with first place! I particularly like how smooth it goes down. I know I've already sampled it pretty heavily myself."

"Me, too!" Old Man Guslan hiccuped loudly.

"Thanks for the endorsement," I told him with a laugh.

"Happy to help!"

"Let's give a big round of applause to both our winners," I said, clapping my hands. "And to all our talented brewers who shared their creations with us tonight. I can't wait to see what you come up with next."

"Thank you all for coming out. We'll be having more events like this in the future, and maybe we can talk Kieran Darkrune into returning."

"I might, at that." Kieran's deep voice carried over the crowd.

I raised my mug and my voice. "To friendship, and to The Shadow's Respite. May this always be a place of joy and camaraderie."

The attendees raised their mugs and cheered.

Kieran broke into a fast-paced song that most of the attendees seemed to know the words to. Seraphina's hand slipped into mine, and we went over to watch the man perform. By that time, I had forgotten all about the strange tapping coming from upstairs.