Mage Slayer: Book Four of the Empress Saga

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Enfri pushed her chair away from the table and tried to make herself useful.

"I can't apologize for the intrusion enough, Goodwife Smith." Enfri tried to grab the teapot before her hostess, but the woman made off with the tray before Enfri was able to rise from her seat.

"Winds, don't you dare," Goodwife Smith said with a kindly smile. Kiffa's mother disappeared into the kitchen carrying away the remnants of morning tea. Her voice continued to rattle off at a steady pace from the next room. "Months from home, gone more leagues than the gods themselves could count, so you can just take a load off and let me see to you."

"Even so, It was kind of you to put us all up for the night."

"Not at all," came the reply. "This old house has felt far too empty. Teela is still behaving like a newlywed and hardly ever tears herself away from that pretty husband of hers, Vandyn was never one to just drop in, and now even Kiffa spends more time on your homestead than with her family."

"She's taken to being the village sky woman rather well."

"It does my heart good to hear that from you. The poor girl is harder on herself than she ought to be."

"And how's Haythe? I haven't seen him."

"Oh, he'll be by any minute now. He took Vylas and the children to stay the night with his in-laws; it was Goodman Cooper's birthday yesterday."

Enfri winced. "Might come as a surprise for him to find an army invading his house, dragons and all."

Goodwife Smith chuckled. "Oh, we had a few months of getting used to Deebee. I think Haythe can survive the shock." Something in her tone changed. Not quite sad— closer to weary. "I'm sure everyone will be relieved to see armsmen."

Enfri's brow drew together. "Is something..."

"That tea was awfully bitter, wasn't it?" Goodwife Smith interrupted. "I'll bring out some fruit to cleanse the palate."

Enfri sighed and let her hands rest in her lap. She looked around the Smith house and marveled at how she'd once thought it was the largest home she could imagine. It was the biggest residence in Sandharbor, two stories with enough bedrooms for their children and their families. After seeing a bit more of the world, Enfri now realized the Smiths' house would rate as a small country lodge for even a minor noble. Her own estate in Ecclesia could fit five of this house inside a single wing.

Even so, Enfri preferred this. She found that she felt more at home here than she ever had in her estate.

She no longer wore her flight armor but a linen dress that once belonged to her mother. Kiffa had brought out the trunks of Enfri's old belongings for her, and Tormaka the Wanderer had carried them up the road to the Smith homestead after Enfri was offered a place to stay for the night. It'd been something of a surprise to discover that Mierwyn's clothes fit her, but Enfri supposed she'd grown quite a bit since she was last in Sandharbor. Not as skinny and even a little taller. While Enfri doubted she'd ever reach anything approaching her father's or Elise's height, she'd ended up standing higher than the average Althandi woman.

You're still young, Inwé said. You might even have another inch or two to go.

I got used to being short, Enfri thought back. I always thought the spinal kyphosis would leave me looking up at everyone.

To the ones you wish to, he said with a note of good humor. If I don't miss my guess, you like being smaller than your bride-to-be.