Chapter Seven #2
“As of right now, ninety-three queries. Some of them just want to hire the dance troupe. I will forward Hura’s information.”
Vaia grinned. “Kremoryn will hate that.”
“Probably. Oh, do you want to run a dance class weekly here at the mansion? Sable wants to learn, and she is stuck here.”
Vaia smiled. “I think that would be fun. Azreen has to travel a bit this year, and I would be glad for the company.”
“Nice. Wednesdays?”
“Sounds good. When do you want to start?”
“Wait. Me?”
“I saw you. You are good at it.”
Reynal softly growled against her neck.
“Yeah, I think it might be a little dangerous considering my current proximity to a predator.”
He chuckled, and as she opened her emails, he started typing at a dizzying pace.
“Wow. Fast hands.”
He pressed his head to hers and kept typing. All she had to do was open the next query on her phone.
He included the comments and processed the messages in under twenty minutes.
He leaned to one side and tapped his lips. “Kisses.”
She turned her head and kissed him, opening her mouth slowly as they licked slowly.
When he stopped the kiss, she wrinkled her nose. “I just remembered our audience.”
She looked around him and snickered. Vaia and Azreen were leaning on the counter, side by side. All they were missing was popcorn.
“Uh, I have to prioritize these queries. See who wants to get a quote and save a date, or who just wants to gawk.”
Vaia smiled. “I will get you some coffee.”
“Thank you. I am going to have to put in for a company phone before I return these calls.” She glanced at him. “Is my car here yet?”
He checked his phone. “Yes. It’s out front.”
“Yay.”
“But a phone is being brought here, courtesy of the mayor’s office. You are still working for him at this point.”
“Well, now that I have seen how fast you type, your texting skills make sudden sense.” She smiled at him and started to sort the requests by those that had asked for a specific date.
She got the requests sorted, emailed, and declined the ones who just wanted to come to see the famous mantlepiece. That brought the queries down to sixty.
Krys saw the folk who wanted the closest date, which she was putting at six weeks away. She was exhausted, and it would be worse by Sunday.
“Right. I guess I am going to have to jump right in. So much for a day off. Wait, is it dark already?”
Reynal stroked her hair. “You have been working on that spreadsheet for an hour and a half. Do you have them sorted?”
“Yup, but I am going to space the dates out, plus Azreen and Vaia have first dibs on dates. The days are restricted between Fridays and Sundays unless there is a damned good reason.” She nodded.
“Right. First things first. I am putting in the anniversary, Vaia’s birthday, and Azreen’s birthday.
The teas can be arranged on off dates or when you know the details in advance.
We could split the days, with a tea in the afternoon and a wedding starting in the evening.
Bridal prep could be done during the afternoon for a sunset start. ”
She looked at a few of the dates, and she hummed as she set them on the calendar in powder blue. They would go to bright green when it was final and deposits were obtained. “Shit. We need a bank account for this.”
Reynal smiled. “It’s already set up. I will send you the details.”
Krys narrowed her eyes at him. “That is really annoying.”
He ran a hand through her hair. “I know.”
She heard a knock at the front door and followed Azreen to answer it. A man in a courier uniform stood there and asked. “Azreen Maximus?”
“Yes.”
“Your in-laws say hi.” A blade came out, and Krys sent waves of ice toward the attacker as she moved forward. The man was frozen solid before the sword had come down an inch.
She sat heavily on the floor, and her head spun. “Oops. Call Amy. She can thaw him.”
Reynal picked her up. “What’s wrong, snowflake?”
“Just dizzy. I wrapped my house up seven ways from Sunday and might have used a wee bit more power than I would have normally. I will recharge by tomorrow morning, ready for work.”
“I think you need dinner and some rest. Plenty of time to play later. You have work to do.”
She smiled. “Thanks. Pizza?”
He walked her back to the kitchen, and Azreen looked at the blade. “That’s a dragon killer.”
Krys said, “Snap his hand off and take the blade. Changing from a righty to a lefty might be character building.”
“What do we do with the blade then?”
“Is Benko still around?”
“Sure. He’s in the garden with Sable.”
“Tell him you need a storage place for the sword that can’t be detected.”
“He can do that?”
“There is a quarry out back to make any number of suitable large stone slabs.”
Vaia said, “I will order the pizza, you talk to Benko. You have more of a connection with him. What do you want on it?”
“Triple pepperoni, double cheese, and two large sodas.” She looked at Reynal. “To the dark elf, my fine steed.”
He laughed and walked to the huge doors that opened to the yard. “I am going to make you earn that description.”
“Oh, but not tonight.”
“No, pet. Not tonight.”
Benko saw them coming and lifted the tiny statuette she had asked for. Benko chuckled. “He has no idea, but this is going to be hilarious.”
“Wonderful. I have another commission for you.”
“I am enjoying this. What is it this time?”
“I need a hide for a dragon-killing sword. It needs to be in a statue or something where no one will find it. Once we get it inside, I will wrap it in enough protective magic to choke a minotaur.”
Benko nodded. “Is the sword around?”
Azreen came toward them, carrying the sword by the strange grip. “Here it is. You are going to have to wait until the hand falls off.”
Krys smiled, reached for the sword, and touched the hand. It shattered under her touch. She handed it over to Benko. “There it is. We have two dragonborn here, so that is a very dangerous sword.”
Benko took it and looked at the shards on the ground. “That was human.”
“Ish. Human-ish. I can tell by the energy used to freeze it. Thanks for the tiny dirty statue. Hannah’s family is going to hate it, but it’s amazing.”
“So, what are you going to do with it?”
“Make molds from it, pour in chocolate, and make about fifty tiny statues, standing on a white mouse with a raspberry centre, under a blown sugar dome.”
Benko blinked. “I don’t know what that is, and I am drooling.”
Sable smiled. “Please wear the charm.”
“I don’t eat at the weddings, so I will be running around instead of eating.”
“What if you get everything started, and I take over?”
“Possible. Do you want to try it?”
Sable grinned. “Definitely. I have picked nine charities to send my wages to. I am so stoked to be starting this new part of my undead life.”
Krys nodded and held the small figurine that was definitely Hannah and Neekil having sex standing up. Technically, nothing was visible but their butts, but every muscle and even Hannah’s nails were visible as Neekil supported her, his two legs anchored to her one, her left leg wrapped around him.
“I am going to go make the molds tomorrow. Getting the chocolate right will be the thing.”
Sable blinked. “You can customize chocolate?”
“Sure. I want it in a cool column of air at the dessert table, but when it leaves, it has six minutes before it starts melting and losing detail. That way, no one takes them home.”
Benko frowned. “Why don’t you want them taking things home?”
“People get funny about works of art. If they can’t have them, they will destroy them, and I also don’t want other couples wanting something of this nature. If they don’t know, they won’t ask.”
Sable paused. “But if you make them, why not make them again?”
“Because someone will want Neekil and Hannah, and that is where shit gets weird. Or Benko will end up carving naked couples, and not everyone is as relaxed about things as our wedding couple. Hannah will be mortified, but she will laugh, knowing it is only for the night. Neekil will lick through them like they are popsicles if I give him more than one.”
Benko laughed. “That does sound like my eldest brother. I am eager to find out how this plays out.”
“You and me both.” Krys snorted.