Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Cardan shuffled ungracefully into a chair at the bar. He had to stifle a groan as he settled himself upon the unforgiving wooden seat, wending his tail through the back of it and down around one leg. He had hoped sitting would relieve the pain.
It did not.
The afternoon of peddling had earned him aches in all sorts of impossible, impolite places. His thighs and backside specifically were in ten kinds of agony. It made him wonder what unearthly strength Jude had mustered to manage their combined weight while cycling to the cafe that morning, all with enough energy left for working on her feet. What an impossible creature. After such an exertion, she ought to be waddling like a duck.
Alas, there was no waddling to entertain him. His spry hostess was every bit as busy behind the bar as she had been all day. In fact, she was making him dizzy.
Jude bobbed high and low between cupboards, assembling the gadgetry required for preparing what she promised would be a life changing cup of coffee. Life changing . A brazen promise to make to a prince accustomed to finer fare than this common mortal brew.
While cycling circuits of the street outside, Cardan had witnessed dozens of other stores selling the same soil-coloured stuff as Jude. Most sold it cheaper! Frankly, that did not surprise him. Extortionism suited her. A thing that had surprised him was the manner in which the humans consumed their coffee. It seemed almost... medicinal . Streams of wary mortals bought and finished the drink on foot. Rarely was it savoured. Lips met paper cups in hissing, wincing sips. It was a productivity potion, administered with milk, chocolate, cinnamon or sugar. Whatever made the dose more palatable.
All this considered, Cardan's breath was not bated for his first taste of coffee.
Cardan, I think I'm about to change your life .
There was fire in her eyes as she had said that. A familiar flame, it had burned him once before.
This is the least of what I can do.
Ah yes, that was it. The same fierce umber stare. The same sure stance. The same determination she conjured so tangibly that it could almost be touched and tasted, and it probably tasted like coffee.
Indeed, time had not extinguished her spark. The same indomitable creature who had served him his own backside during the war games of their youth now served him drinks with equal fervour.
