Cauldrons Charms And Chai – TL Stone

After hours of worry, he couldn’t stop the half laugh, half sob that burst from his lips. “Wh-what?” Thrain jerked awake, spluttering on a snore and jerking to sitting. He blinked hard as he focused on Vaskel, finally shaking his head. “Vask?” Suddenly, Vaskel realized he didn’t have a reason for being in Thrain’s room.

Not one he could tell the dwarf. Not yet. Not before he was sure how deep his friend was under Marina’s spell. “I was worried about you.” This was true. “You were out so late.” Thrain dragged a hand through his dark, wiry beard before cocking his head. “Didn’t know I had a curfew.” Vaskel’s face warmed. Fretting about his friends comings and goings wasn’t something he’d ever done, which made it even more awkward that he’d invaded the dwarf’s bedroom so early. “Sorry, I⁠—” Vaskel barked a laugh.

“I’m pulling your leg, laddie. If you must know, I was with Marina, the newcomer I introduced around the tavern last night.” Vaskel bit the inside of his mouth to keep from saying something about Marina he’d regret. “Where did you go when you left the tavern? Is she staying nearby?” Vaskel would love to know if Marina and her new hellkin crew were camping in the woods or if they’d taken over a cottage after dispensing with the occupants.

He knew for certain they weren’t at the Wayside Inn, which was the only place in town with rooms to let. “You could say that.” Thrain swung his feet over the side of the bed, and they almost touched the floor. “She’s a guest at Greyhelm Castle.” This surprised Vaskel. “The castle?” Had Marina befriended the ailing laird in the past two decades?

“She’s not related to the laird.” Thrain chuckled. “Aye, there aren’t any hellkin lairds. No, she’s the guest of the castle since she’s a renowned healer. She’s come to help the dying laird.” The old ruler of Greyhelm Castle had been on death’s door for so long that Vaskel doubted there was anything a true healer, much less a fake one like Marina, could do for him.

A scowl tugged at his mouth as he thought of Marina’s cunning charm and the false hope she was giving a dying man. The dwarf smacked his forehead with one meaty hand. “But why am I telling you this? You know her.” Vaskel froze.

VASKEL RAN a hand over one of his horns, the ridged surface warm despite the snowflakes occasionally landing on it. He let the door to the Wayside Inn close with a sigh behind him as he took in the snowy village that was sluggishly shrugging off the dawn. Birds stayed nestled under eaves dripping with icicles, and thatch roofs huddled under blankets of glistening snow.

Smoke curled from chimneys, twisting and spinning into the sullen sky that foretold another snowy day. The solstice might have passed and the days might be lengthening, but that didn’t mean the village wasn’t in for more winter. Vaskel rubbed his bare hands together and smiled, invigorated by the cold. To say that the hellkin ran hot would be a vast understatement. “Thought you’d sneak out without me?” He turned at the voice from behind, stepping forward as Cali slipped outside with him.

The pantheri wore her usual snug-fitting brown leather pants and vest, her bow and a quiver of arrows slung over one shoulder and her gray-striped arms exposed. She also relished the cold, although for her it had to do with her fur and not because she was an infernal being like Vaskel. “When has anyone ever evaded you?” he asked with a wry grin, as he flipped up the collar of his long cloak. The archer returned his smile, lifting one shoulder as if acknowledging the truth of this.

“If anyone could, it would be you.” His former crew mate knew him just as well as he knew her, and she knew all too well that one of his many talents was stealth, aided by his unnatural ability to sense danger before it reared its head. “But why would I?” He stepped away from the rustic wooden building, heading for the market stalls that were still in the process of being set up.

Cali fell in step with him, both their tails swinging behind them. “Maybe you have errands for the tavern you want to keep under wraps.” He cocked a brow at her. He had taken over the job of bartender for the village tavern, but his tasks comprised pulling pints, charming the patrons, and keeping the bar clean. “Secret errands?” She laughed at this. “I suppose not, although Lira might have given you tasks for the wedding.” Now Vaskel chuckled as he stroked one hand down his short beard.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: d2e390877230cd40
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 5,429,949 bytes (5.178 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• Pages: 255
• Language: English (en)

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• Estimated Reading Time: 313.05 minutes
• Total Words: 62,609
• Total Characters: 352,652
• Average Words per Page: 245.53
• Average Characters per Page: 1382.95

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