At the end of a productive Market Day, Sunny gathered her earnings from her stall then loaded up her wagon. She peddled back across the road and entered the library. She entered the main room and felt a thrill of horror through her.

Abel was standing at the door of the meat locker.

"I wouldn't go in there," Sunny called, restraining herself from dropping everything and yanking the elf away. If her heart worked, it would be in her throat. "The refrigeration is iffy and the generator is old. I don't open it unless it's necessary."

Abel gave one more curious look to the door, then turned away. Sunny sat her cargo down and helped the stubborn elf to his seat on the couch.

"If you have meat, why do you go to the Market for food?"

"I can't cook," Sunny said bluntly. "As you could tell from my tea, my sense of taste is off. I would kill you with any attempt I made to feed you."

Abel grimaced, remembering the tea she practically shoved down his throat.

Sunny made sure he was comfortable, then went to grab his plate of crawfish. "I got some things for you at the Market. Also got you some food to eat over the next week. That should be enough to tide you over until you go back to your cousin."

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Abel paused in taking the bag. "You met Basemath?"

"Yeah. She suggested I keep you here until you can stand some jostling." Sunny frowned in thought. "But do you know when the portal is going to dissipate? She suggested I get you back before then."

"I have time," Abel dismissed, turning his attention back to the cloth bag. He opened it and stared in puzzlement. "What is this?"

"It's crawfish. Basemath sells some every Market Day. Do you not have that where you're from?"

Abel poked it in fascination. "No. But it smells edible. The seasoning is different from what I'm used to, but it should be interesting. I eat the insides and not the shell?"

"Yes. Here's a towel and a bottle of milk."

Abel took the towel but gave the milk a leery look. "Humans are so strange."

Sunny shrugged. "Basemath said that drinking milk was unusual for species outside of humans, but that it's essential when eating spicy food. At least hold onto it."

Abel wrinkled his nose but didn't comment further. He studied the crawfish and with an elegant twist of his hands pulled the claw away from the main body. He pulled the meat out and slipped some into his mouth.

Sunny was startled to see his face immediately turn red. "Uh..."

Abel took another bite and Sunny worried as he broke into a heavy sweat. Was this what they called an allergic reaction?

Abel continued eating, ignoring the tears leaking from his eyes. He even went as far as licking the juices off his hands. Sunny, anxious that the elf was going to kill himself under her watch, snatched the food out of his hand.

"What are you doing?" Sunny said, holding the plate away from a reaching Abel.

Abel opened the bottle of milk and took a drink before sitting it down.

"Ah. I see now."

"You see what? How weird that was?" Sunny couldn't help but ask.

"I've never had anything that spicy before. It was good regardless. And the milk is essential because it soothes the burn."

Sunny had never felt a strong burn, but then she barely had any ability to feel sensation. It made sense that Abel would be more affected.

"Could I finish that?" Abel asked politely.

Sunny eyed the elf's red lips in concern and answered, "Maybe after you drink some more milk."