Chapter 9: Hotcakes and Unpleasant Conversations

Pippa held Maxine as she bawled her eyes out. I did my best to keep her hopes up by guaranteeing I’d find Nax and personally deliver his soul back to his body, but she took the news like I’d told her he died.

“It’s going to be okay,” Pippa soothed. “Alex is strong. If he says he’s going to do something, he does it. He liberated a whole town and brought Isa back to life.”

“I know about Isa,” Maxine sniffed. “He got that wrong, though. She wasn’t right when she came back. That’s why Nax had to leave.”

“She’s getting better,” I offered.

Maxine glared at me. “Then give me back my husband! I can’t raise his son without him.”

She rubbed her belly when she mentioned Nax’s son. I wondered how she knew it was a boy. Was it intuition, or did the guild have a gender-reveal mage in the back somewhere?

“I’ll get them back,” I repeated.

“Or you’d better die trying!” Maxine added.

I sighed. It wasn’t like I could blame her. I’d be pissed, too, if I found out someone accidentally separated the soul of my loved one from their body to temporarily house the parents of a friend and then lost the soul. It was rude! Still, I didn’t want to commit to death. If it came to that, I’d pay the price, but I wasn’t going to swear to it.

There wasn’t much else I could do. Even though I knew it would only cause grief, I owed the woman an update. I just hoped the next time would be happier news. I needed to find Pi and make that happen.

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The next stop was my favorite place in all of Yew. Delicious smells wafted out of the shop, making my mouth drool before I even got there.

“Please tell me we get to eat here,” Pippa floated ahead of me like a cartoon character hooked by a smell. “I know we just ate, but I always wanted to try the food here.”

“Alex, is that you?” Helen asked as she came out of the kitchen. “I was starting to think you were never coming back. Who is this pretty little thing?”

“This is Pippa,” I introduced the girl. “And she says she’s never had your cooking before.”

“Should she have?” Helen asked, leaning closer to give Pippa a better look. “Wait just a minute. Are you Jasmine, the Mayor’s daughter?”

Pippa blushed. “Yes, Ma'am. I mean, I was. I go by Pippa now. Alex rescued me.”

“I remember when you went missing,” Helen said, clearing a table for us. “Bless you, dear child. I’m glad you’re safe.”

Pippa fidgeted as she sat down but said nothing. I gave her a sidelong glance. “Are you sure you can eat? You had a lot back at the house.”

“Please let me have this,” she whispered after Helen returned to the kitchen. “I always wanted to eat here and never had the chance.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“Because she hates my dad,” Pippa pouted. “It’s not fair. I didn’t ask to be the mayor’s daughter.”

“I would have fed you anyway. I always feed children, regardless of who their parents are,” Helen said with a smile as she emerged with a plate of hot cakes. “Try this. It should ease your stomach.”

I examined the food she placed in front of us.

Light and Fluffy Hot Cakes

Rank: S

Special: Cures Indigestion

“This could be useful!” I exclaimed, dousing mine in syrup before taking a bite. “It cures stomach aches?”

Helen rolled her eyes. “The syrup negates the effect.”

I sighed. “Then what’s the point? You can’t have pancakes without syrup.”

Helen just shrugged. “Sorry, Alex. I don’t make the rules. The effect’s random.”

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I decided to save business until after we ate so Pippa could enjoy her meal. She tried the hot cakes without syrup, then with syrup, and finally with strawberries and whipped cream. Her eyes bulged out of her head when Helen returned with a large bag of goodies for the road. I stowed it in my bag before Pippa could devour it all.

“There is one more thing I’d like to discuss,” I said while Helen cleared our table. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’ve become king of a land called Albion. I returned to invite anyone people to join my new kingdom. I was wondering if you might want to move your restaurant there.”

Helen took her time arranging our plates before answering. “I’m afraid leaving isn’t that easy. I have a long-established restaurant here, along with a lot of regulars. I can’t just abandon them.”

“They can come too,” I offered in desperation.

Helen chuckled. “Not to worry. I might have a solution that works for both of us. Knowing you kids, you might even like her more.”

“Can she cook as good as you?” I asked hopefully.

“No, but she knows how to follow a recipe,” Helen explained. “Angelina’s specialty is alcohol. She wants to run a bar. I’ve taught her well, though.”

It didn’t feel like it would be the same, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, so I decided to go with it. “Thanks, Helen. I’m sure she will be fine.”

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“I don’t think the hotcakes are working,” Pippa groaned, clutching her stomach. “I think I’m gonna puke.”

I laughed. “I don’t think you were using them as instructed. They aren’t a free pass to stuff yourself.”

“But they were so good!” She added a belch for effect. “Well, that feels a bit better. Maybe I can…”

Pippa didn’t finish her sentence and instead ran to a nearby bush, where she lost the contents of both meals. She came back looking crestfallen.

“Don’t worry,” I patted her on the back. “It’s already almost lunchtime.”

Her face turned a light shade of green, and she shoved me before retreating to the bush for another round of retching. “Don’t talk about food!”

We wound our way out of the business district on our way to the mayor’s house.

“Remember,” I broke the silence. “Your dad is the key to my plan. I believe he will come because you live there, but I want to use him to recruit everyone else.”

“So I’m the bait,” she sighed, clutching my arm. “Just, please don’t let him force me to stay.”

“You’re a grown woman with kids of your own in Albion,” I comforted her.

“He won’t care,” Pippa sighed. “He never cared what I wanted.”

“You were a child when they took you,” I explained. “I think losing you changed him.”

Pippa looked down and refused to say anything. Before long, we ended up at the mayor’s home, which was also his office. As usual, a long line went halfway down the block. I reminisced about the last time I waited in that line. It was the first time Isa and I declared our love for each other.

I took Pippa’s hand and walked right past the line. As we neared the door, someone grabbed my arm. “Hey! No cutting. You’ll have to wait your turn like the rest of us.”

It was time to use my trump card. Pippa was currently trying to shrink herself and hide behind my back. I stepped aside and spoke in a loud voice. “Does a resident of the house have to wait in line? I know she’s been gone for a while, but she’s home. In fact, I suspect the mayor won’t be taking any more appointments today.”

Before the man could answer, the doors burst open, and an angry-looking woman stepped out. “What’s the commotion? You are all to stand in an orderly…oh…oh my. Jasmine, is that you? Pardon me. I must inform your father.”

She ran off without another word. I led a bewildered Pippa through the door and tossed one more look over my shoulder at the man. “Like I said, the mayor’s office is closed for the day.”

I shut the door and waited patiently in the lobby for the mayor to come out. He didn’t disappoint. A loud crash came from his office, followed by the stout man barreling out and nearly barreling us over. He panted heavily and managed to say a single word. “Jasmine!”

Pippa stared at him for a long moment before replying. “It’s Pippa now.”

“Pippa?” he asked. “What happened to you? The ogres said you were taken.”

“I was,” Pippa admitted. “The church got me. They kidnapped me and took me captive. Alex saved me.”

The mayor looked at me when she mentioned my name. “Thank you, my boy. I can’t express my gratitude for bringing her back. Anything you want, and it’s yours.”

“Great!” Pippa exclaimed before I could say anything. “He wants me. I’m going with him.”

“With him?” the mayor echoed. “This is most irregular. I couldn’t possibly allow…”

I sighed, planting an arm around her shoulder. “Francis. I’m sorry, but your baby girl is all grown up. I had a daughter recently, so I know how you feel, but you have to let them go at some point. Pippa became an adult while she was gone and is quite independent. She lives in Albion now, which is why we’re here. We would like to invite you to live there.”

“Live there?” Francis tasted the words as though they were rotten. “I don’t understand. I was told that cursed island was abandoned generations ago.”

“It was,” I replied, patting excalibur with my good hand. “I drew the sword from the stone and liberated the place. Now I’m king.”

“King?” a vein popped on Francis’s temple. “And you intend to make my daughter one of your concubines?”

“No…” I tried to reply.

“Yes!” Pippa shrieked, drowning me out. “That’s exactly what he’s going to do! And I’m going to give him his first human heir.”

“But he already has a daughter,” Francis said, trying to keep up.

“She’s not human,” Pippa said, recoiling when she saw the expression on my face. “I don’t mean there’s anything wrong with that. You know I love Bori.”

Bori, hearing her name, woke and formed her human avatar right in front of us. “Is it time for me to come out, Daddy?”

I patted her on the head. “Your timing is perfect, Sweetie. Francis, this is my firstborn, Borealis.”

“Bori for short,” Bori said with a toothy grin.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Francis said awkwardly. “Um, where did you come from?”

Bori pointed at her corestone embedded in my arm. “There. That’s my core.”

“Bori is a dungeon,” I explained, not caring how Francis felt about it.

Even though I was a little miffed at Pippa for deciding she was my concubine and belittling my daughter, I wasn’t prepared to out her as the mother of a dungeon until she was ready.

Francis looked at my arm and then back at Bori while he worked out what she was. I had an idea and whispered in her ear. “Become a puppy.”

She nodded and transformed into her signature monster form, which just so happened to be a very oversized dog. It leaked drool on the floor while towering over Francis. He took a few steps back before falling on his backside.

Pippa rushed to him and reached out a hand to help him up. “Don’t worry, Father. Bori won’t hurt you. She’s a nice dungeon.”

Francis accepted the help and pulled himself to his feet. “It looks like we have a lot to discuss. Please, come into my office and make yourself comfortable.”