“Come back heavier? With stories to share?” I asked, more to fill the silence as we left the Tower.

“Stories keep people motivated,” Cass said, answering instead. “Knowing that Hunters are out there kicking monster ass reminds everyone they’re safe.”

She grinned as we wound through the streets toward Katie’s bakery, occasionally getting stopped by townsfolk. A group of kids baited me into retelling the story of the Brine Tyrant and I realized I wasn’t a very good storyteller—they didn’t seem to care. Their laughter echoed as I gestured dramatically, mimicking the explosion that took out the monster. It was hard not to enjoy their delight.

Katie was already bouncing with excitement when we arrived. She practically dragged me inside, beaming as we chattered about my upcoming hunt. I had started to explain brownies to her when she redirected me to a water basin.

By the time I’d washed my hands, she was already rattling off instructions like a drill sergeant, slamming ingredients onto the counter in what I could only describe as controlled chaos. Cass and Erik had wisely retreated to a table near the front, leaving me to Katie’s kitchen whirlwind.

“First things first,” Katie announced, holding up a tray of half-formed tarts, “what do you think? Too much crust?”

I tilted my head, examining the uneven shapes. “A little. Maybe try pressing them thinner? Custard needs to shine.”

She nodded, muttering something under her breath about "damn thin crusts," and shoved a rolling pin into my hands. “You do it, then. I’ll start on your brownie thing.”

It wasn’t long before we hit a snag. “Wait,” she said, pausing mid-whisk, “how much cocoa powder are we supposed to use?”

“Uh, a lot?” I replied, trying to sound confident. “It’s chocolate. You can’t go wrong with more.”

“Is that a professional opinion, Mr. Outworlder Chef?” she teased, one eyebrow raised.

I shrugged, grinning. “Let’s call it intuition.”

The first batch was... experimental. We’d underestimated how potent the cocoa powder was—or maybe overestimated my ability to “eyeball” measurements. Either way, the brownies came out looking more like bricks.

Katie took one bite and winced. “These taste like they’re judging me.”

I took one out to Cass and she also winced, barely able to break a piece of the dessert with her teeth. “Maybe Erik can use them as armor?” she poked.

I stormed back into the kitchen determined to get this right.

“Okay, that didn’t work. I think we want a bit less cocoa than sugar, and maybe some salt,” I said and we sprung into action.

By the second batch, we’d hit our stride. The batter was rich, glossy, and just the right amount of sweet. Katie was rummaging in a cupboard for salt when an odd chirping sound caught my attention.

“What’s that?” I asked, pausing mid-stir of the brownie batter.

Her face paled. “Oh, no. Not again.”

Before I could respond, something small, green, and horrifyingly fast bolted across the counter, knocking over a tray of dough. I yelped as it shot past me, my aura completely oblivious to its movements, and landed with a splat in the batter.

“Seriously?” I groaned, fishing the squirming creature out with a spatula. It glared at me, its tiny claws waving threateningly.

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Katie snatched it from my hands. “It’s harmless! Just, uh, a little salamandrid. They’re attracted to sugar. I’ll put it outside.”

“Harmless? It just ruined my batter!” I glared as she whisked it away, muttering apologies.

When she returned, she caught me swiping a finger through the batter, earning an exaggerated gasp from Katie.

“Did you just eat lizard batter?”

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” I said, offering her a taste.

She hesitated, then dipped a spoon in. Her eyes widened. “Oh, okay. Yeah. I get it now.”

An hour later, I had four trays of perfectly baked brownies neatly stored in my earring, along with more bread and pastries than I’d ever admit to carrying. Katie’s enthusiasm knew no bounds. “You’re like a walking pantry!” she said, beaming as she handed me another loaf to store.

I’d promised Cyrus the first taste, but Katie wasn’t having it. She demanded to try one, and when she did, I swear she drifted into another dimension. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she let out a low, feral “Mmmmmm.” The way she looked at me as she chewed was borderline terrifying, and I decided that leaving the rest of the cocoa with her was probably the safest course of action. Excusing myself quickly, I returned to Cass and Erik, who were comfortably snacking at a table. Erik placed a few blue coins down as payment while Katie rushed around the kitchen, already planning her next batch of brownies. Was introducing chocolate desserts a bad idea? I didn’t want to imagine how the Vildar would react if Katie’s response was just the beginning.

On the way to Cyrus’s shop, Cass insisted on a piece from one of the trays. She took a bite, paused, and gave me a look that screamed, “Are you serious right now?”

“Good, right?” I asked, grinning.

“Dangerously good,” she admitted. “You’re gonna ruin people’s lives with these.”

When we reached Cyrus’s shop, I greeted him with an entire tray. The moment the scent hit him, he froze mid-step, his whiskers twitching.

“These are… for me?” he asked, his voice almost reverent.

“One tray. First taste, as promised,” I said, placing the brownies on the counter.

He didn’t waste a second, grabbing a piece and taking a cautious bite. His eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought he might actually cry. Several people, mostly Vildar, approached him reverently.

“Not for sale,” Cyrus snapped, shooing away a rather insistent Albinus woman who had gotten a bit too close.

“I’ll give you five silvers for the tray!” she offered, waving coins dramatically.

Cyrus scoffed. “Do you think this is a charity? These are mine.”

I raised an eyebrow. “We could auction them, Cyrus. Start a bidding war. Imagine what you could trade for cocoa powder after this.”

His whiskers twitched, clearly irritated and looked around at the customers around him.

“Get out! We’re closed!” he snapped, holding the tray protectively, his eyes seemed to sparkle with some kind of energy. They started swirling with light similar to how Chas’s had been when we had first met. I felt a pang of danger and everyone in the store filed quickly out the door to hear it lock behind us. The sign in the window flipped to ‘closed’.

Oh no. Doreen was going to tear shit apart.

As we approached Doreen’s, Cass slowed and grinned at me.

“I think I’ll wait out here,” she said.

“Coward,” I muttered, earning a laugh as she leaned against a rain barrel.

Erik and I stepped inside, and the noise of the Public House hit me like a wave. Doreen was deep in conversation at one of the long tables, but the second the door closed behind us, she froze.

“What the fuck is that smell?” she demanded, her voice cutting through the chatter.

Every head turned as I produced two trays of brownies from my earring and set them on the nearest table. “Dessert,” I said, trying for a confident tone. “As an apology for… you know, the thing earlier.”

Doreen approached slowly, her eyes narrowing. She reached out, grabbed a steaming piece with her bare hands, and took a bite.

The reaction was immediate. She inhaled sharply, licked her fingers clean, and stood stock-still. Then, her left eye twitched.

“Ben,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “Go into the kitchen.”

“Actually, Cass and I—”

“I SAID KITCHEN!”

Spinning on my heel and making a quick exit, I got the fuck out of there—practically skidding to a stop next to Cass.

Before I could speak, there was a thunderous crash, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Erik came flying through the front window, fully armored, with a silvery aura sputtering around him. He hit the ground hard, rolled to his feet, and sprinted toward us, clutching a chunk of brownie like his life depended on it.

“Fuck you, Doreen!” he yelled over his shoulder, crumbs flying as he stuffed the brownie into his mouth.

A split second later, Doreen burst through the door, her green aura blazing.

“If you ever fuckin’ hug me again, Ironheart,” she spat the name. “I’ll shove your head up your ass!” she roared, pointing a finger at him and stormed back inside. “Not today assholes!”

Cass and I exchanged a look.

“Shall we?” I asked, already walking up the street.

Cass laughed and fell into step beside me. “Absolutely.”