Arc 4: Chapter 6: Lair of the Magi
“Alken…”
I grunted. “What is it?”
I could practically feel Emma’s eyes on me, though I kept mine on the table. Most of two hours had passed since she’d summoned Qoth, and we’d returned to the crowded inner districts of the city. We sat beneath a pavilion at the corner of a public square, with food. Apple tarts and meat balls dressed in fresh eggs, seasoned with ginger.
Garihelm hadn’t had such good food last I’d been. Then again, that had been during a war.
I heard, more than saw, Emma shift across the table, uncrossing one leg and recrossing it, then propping her elbows on the table and clasping her fingers. I chased half an apple tart down with some beer.
“You’re worrying me,” Emma said.
A cheer went up from the square below us — a pair of knights were having a mock battle. A magician had gotten involved, using exploding powders and sleight-of-hand to entertain the crowd, weaving in and out of the two swordsmen as they playacted some drama.
When the noise had died down I asked, “Why?”
“Well…” Emma blew out a breath, moving a loose strand of her dark hair out of her face. “After what Qoth told us, I expected you to charge off in a rage. Instead, well…”
She waved a hand at the square, the outdoor tavern, the meals.
I set my mug down on the table and shrugged. “We need to eat, keep up our strength.”