Chapter 21

The Inn was just as dark and gloomy on the inside as the exterior suggested. Dark, polished wood and plush, highbacked club chairs around each round table made it seem less like walking into a pub and more like entering some time warp to Earth’s medieval period. The centerpiece of the room was the intricately carved bar, standing in front of a wall that showcased what must’ve been hundreds of bottles of various liquors, all settled on mirrored shelves that reflected the dim light through the glass bottles.
“Come and have a seat, and I’ll grab a few plates of the casserole Biv left me for tonight’s special,” Milo made his way behind the bar and pulled down several glasses, all resting easily in his large hands. He filled one with what I supposed was some kind of pale beer, sliding it down to Puck. A second glass was filled with water and placed in front of Biv before he turned to me. “How about you, your highness? A soda?”
“Um,” I felt a little silly not being able to make a snap decision on something as simple as what to drink, but it was my experience that I took what was offered, or it was plain water for me. “Sure, that’s fine.” I smiled a little. “I’m not picky.”
A tall glass of a dark brown, bubbling liquid soon slid to a stop in front of me. From the foam covering the top, I thought for a brief, horrified moment that it was some kind of ale…but as I lifted it to my lips, I was relieved to discover it was only root beer. “Best draught root beer in town,” Milo unashamedly bragged.
“Milo has a microbrewery in the cellar below us,” Puck explained helpfully. “He’s very proud of it.”
“As well I should be!” The gryphon sniffed, waving a taloned hand at a wall across the bar. It was covered in ribbons and trophies and plaques, most of them involving the phrases “best draught beer” or “best ale”. “Now. Chicken and noodle casserole good for everyone?” No one protested; frankly, I doubted anyone protested anything he suggested very often. When your chef is at least eight feet tall and could eat your arm in one bite, you take what he gives you. “Good.” Giving an approving nod, he disappeared through the swinging door behind the bar.
Almost as soon as he disappeared, the bells on the door jingled cheerily as it opened up, announcing the new arrival. Kiasis strode in wordlessly, picked up the shot that Milo had so thoughtfully left on the bar for her, and downed it neatly as she sat.
“Tallana coming along?” Kiasis just shrugged in reply to Puck’s question, reaching behind the bar to refill her glass. “We have a sort of….agreement…with Tallana,” Puck explained in answer to the look I must’ve been giving him. “We help her create a sort of…scene….every once in a while. Helps her drum up business; we create a little trouble, maybe break an orb or two. People feel sorry for her, go over to see if she’s okay, and end up looking at her crap. In return, if anybody’s snooping around after one of us, she lets us know about it.”
Almost on cue, the topic of conversation strolled in. She made a beeline for me, reaching out with one hand to tilt my head up like a horse being examined for sale. I resisted the urge to show her my teeth. “Pfft,” she snorted as she let me go, her accent having faded with amazing speed. “You look fine. I don’t think it even attached to you, Kiasis and Puck are both paranoid.”
“I hear you’re making a pest out of yourself,” Milo chided as he reappeared, bearing four plates easily in his arms. They came to rest quickly in front of Biv, Puck, Kiasis and myself, and my stomach rumbled at the buttery, slightly peppery scent of the casserole.
“Yes, yes, sorry!” Tallana leaned over the bar, and Milo obligingly bent down to let her kiss him on the cheek. “I didn’t mean to let it make contact with her, but then she started flailing around like she was being attacked, and you know what those things are like when they sense magic anyway…”
“You up for some dinner?” Milo offered, pouring her a glass of the same stuff Puck was drinking.
“No, thanks, love, I’m all done in for the night.” She smiled, lifting the glass to her lips and drinking thirstily. “I just thought I’d poke my head in and make sure I hadn’t done any lasting damage before I retired.” Her voice was much more pleasant, warm even, now that she’d stopped playing up her accent and wasn’t screeching in outrage.
“She’s fine, I think. No damage done that wasn’t there before.” Puck shot me a teasing grin, and I felt obligated to make a face at him.
“In that case, I think I’ll just head for bed, then.” Downing the rest of her drink, she rose and stretched lazily. I winced a little at the sound of her back cracking. “Now, don’t you stay up working all night, either, you hear?” She gave Milo a decidedly disapproving stare.
“I’m headed up just as soon as I get this lot of vagrants settled in, don’t worry.” Milo replied affectionately.
Tallana nodded her approval. “Good night, then. I imagine I’ll see you all at breakfast in the morning.” Smiling, she wriggled her fingers in a little parting wave as she headed toward the staircase across the room. “It was nice meeting you, girlie.” She patted me on the head as she passed in a way that I almost found condescending, but I decided I’d let it pass, mostly because I was thinking. So she lived here, too. Just how many rooms were in this place?
Relative silence reigned as the rest of us ate. Well, as Puck and I ate, anyway. Kiasis seemed content to give the wall in front of her a glower that I was slightly shocked didn’t crack the glass, and Biv seemed intent on doing nothing but push his food around on his plate. Puck and I both ate enthusiastically, though….partly because I was starving, but mostly because it was just good. Possibly the best chicken and noodles I’d ever had in my entire life.
“Biv, you made this? It’s wonderful!” I didn’t just want to wolf the food down and seem ungrateful for the trouble it must’ve been to prepare. Biv, on the other hand, just blushed and ducked his head a little further. Sometimes I got the distinct feeling that Biv would prefer that no one ever even acknowledged his existence.
“Bivvy’s an amazing cook,” Puck answered for him…at least, that’s what I’m pretty sure he said. It was hard to tell with his mouth overloaded with food.
“An amazing cook who almost never eats,” Milo scolded him lightly, turning an accusing eye towards Biv’s full plate.
“I’m just not very hungry,” he replied so quietly I barely heard him.
Milo rustled his wings sharply, and I got the feeling he wanted to scold him more, but a sharp look from Kiasis made him clack his beak shut. “Well,” he said finally, “I’ve got our resident royalty here set up in the room beside you, Puck. It’s supposed to be a little chilly tonight, by human standards, so I put extra blankets out on everybody’s beds.” He looked at me apologetically. “It’s an old building. The environmental controls don’t always do their job the way they should.”
“Milo had the whole place brought over from Earth, stone by stone. It used to be an alehouse in northern England. It was built in…what was it? Sixteen ninety one?”
“Sixteen ninety four,” Three voices corrected him in perfect unison.
“Right. Whatever. It’s old, and sometimes modern environmentals just don’t know what to do with it, what with all the little drafts and air ducts.” Scraping the last of the noodles from his plate, he stood up and carried his dirty dishes behind the bar. “Princess, soon as you’re done I’ll show you to your room.”
My plate was nearly empty, so I grabbed it and followed. Milo was kind enough to feed me, I didn’t want to leave my mess for him to clean as well, so I gathered up my glass and my fork just as Puck had done. “I’m ready.” I followed him through the swinging door cautiously; I’d never been behind the counter of a restaurant before, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was doing something wrong, silly as it was.
If the rest of the building seemed archaic, the kitchen was the pinnacle of modern technology. Stainless steel shone on every side of me, with walls full of gadgets and buttons whose functions I couldn’t have even guessed at. Puck slid his dishware into what I guessed was a dishwasher…at least, I assumed it was a dishwasher, it looked like a slot on the wall to me…..and I followed suit.
“Shh,” He whispered with alarming seriousness as he crept to the other side of the kitchen. Reaching for a large tin, he popped the lid off soundlessly, watching the door behind us every moment as he slipped his hand inside.
“Puck! Don’t you DARE touch those cookies on the counter!” Milo’s bellow made me jump, and I had to stifle a squeak. “They’re for a catering order tomorrow!”
Puck swore under his breath….then he yanked his hand out of the tin, a handful of cookies in his fist, and grabbed me by the arm, dragging me towards the stairwell.
This staircase appeared to be identical to the one Tallana had used earlier. Steep and narrow, it curved around continuously until I was sure it’d gone in a full circle.
The upstairs was decorated much the same way as the lower level. I considered asking if Milo had brought the original furnishings with him from England as well, because it certainly seemed plausible. The doorways were tall, tall enough that even Milo must have had no trouble fitting through them, and each door was carved in a unique but equally intricate design.
We only passed four or five of the doors before Puck came to a halt. “This is your room. I’m in that one right there,” He gestured to the one on our left. “Kiasis is right across the hall from you, and Biv is right across from me. And Tallana, in the event of a dire emergency, is on Biv’s other side.” Reaching out to push the heavy door open, it gave a creak of protest that belied its age, but I barely noticed.
The room was huge. Well, to be fair, it was no bigger than the room I’d had at the home….the room I’d shared with at least three other girls at any given time. This room was obviously meant for no more than one, possibly two if they were extremely cozy. A bed with posters taller than I was dominated the space, with an armoire in one corner that could have held enough clothing for four people. There was a vid set mounted on one wall, directly across from the bed, a plush chair by the window that looked soft enough to sleep in itself, and the scent of flowers filled the room from a vase settled in the deep windowsill. I wondered if maybe I could just stay in my room and never ever come out.
“The control for the vid’s in the nightstand drawer,” Puck instructed as I ventured into the room. “If you need anything, you can just knock on my door. There’s a bathroom at the end of the hall, if you feel like a shower, but I figured after being cooped up in that flying sardine can so long you’d be ready for a real bed.”
I barely heard him. My shoes were already off, and I was reclining on the bed with what had to be the world’s goofiest grin on my face. It was just as soft as it looked.
Puck grinned. “Towels are in the hall closet. Just yell if you need anything, otherwise I’ll come wake you for breakfast. Sweet dreams,” He added on his way out the door.
I barely had the presence of mind to call out a belated “Good night!” as it closed behind him.