“Oh,” Angie teased, the tops of her pointed elven ears quivering. “stop being so bitter,”

“I’m not bitter. I’m simply stating the facts.”

A loud cheer erupted from somewhere within the Inn, a joyous sound that shook the tables and raised patrons cups, golden liquid sloshing up and spilling onto the sticky wooden floor.

A giant hearth blazed at the edge of the establishment, the crackling fire filling the room with a deep, orange glow and the smell of tangy smoke.

Angie leant across the pub table, the laced cuffs of her dress catching on the splintered wood. She grinned. “Do you know what you need?”

“Don’t say—”

“—A lover,”

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms tight over my chest. “I wish you wouldn’t say it like that,”

“Like what?”

“Like you have a mouthful of honey. Like if I find someone, all my prayers will be answered. Like if—”

“Alright,” She cut in, dragging out the word, ”I get. But if there was someone you could have a little fun with, maybe they could help. Like... them!” She gestured to the corner of the Inn where someone sat hunched, a hooded cloak over their head, a book and tankard in their hand. “They look like they need a little fun. Maybe you two could do that fun together.”

“I’m not doing,”—I brought both of my hands up to form air quotes—“‘Fun’ with a complete stranger!”

Angie lifted her chin, her yellow eyes glinting as she looked at something over my shoulder. “Or how about Luke?”

My stomach twisted, and I laughed. “You’re joking?”

“What’s wrong with Luke?”

“What’s—!”

“What you cool cats chattering about?” A large tankard slammed on the table, and Luke slid in beside me on the bench, his shoulder bumping mine, the tip of his twisting antlers just missing my eye.

I gave Angie a pointed look, but she grinned and rested her chin on her hands. “Cool cats? Really?”

Luke shrugged. “I don't know, the guy by the bar said it earlier,” He shrugged again, took a sip from his cup and grimaced, a pink tinge working its way onto his tawny skin. “He seemed cool enough. He even brought me this drink. Should I not say it again?”

“No,” Angie said.

I peered into Luke’s cup; the dark liquid swirled, sparkling slightly under the glow from the oil lamps. I coughed and slapped my hand over my nose. “It reeks! Who brought you a drink?”

Luke waved a hand. “Guy with the green hat,”

“Maybe he could buy YOU a drink, LJ”, Angie said, “and then—”

I shushed her.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Luke asked.

“Trying to find LJ a lover,”

“Oh.” He nodded, the pink tinge returning to his cheeks. “Really?”

A throng of people clustered in front of the bar at the back of the Inn,

A man sat on one of the furthest stalls, a leaf-green bowler hat perched on the top of a cluster of black curls. He smirked, his lips sharp, and brought a boney pale hand to the edge of his hat, touching what looked like a deep purple-blue flower, then vanished, disappearing into the crowd.

My breath caught.

An aconite flower.

No!

Angie touched my arm, and I withdrew my fingernails from the depts of the table. “LJ, what’s wrong?”

“How much of that drink have you had?” I asked Luke.

He studied the cup. “Not much. A sip. It's quite revolting.”

Okay, I thought, if it were poisoned, a sip wouldn't be enough to kill... hopefully. I stood. “We have to go,”

“What, why?” Angie whined, “I was just about to ask that girl over there if she wanted to be your friend,”

“He’s here,” I said. The floor swam, and I steadied myself against the table. “He’s, he’s somehow changed his face again,”

“LJ—”

“No, Angie!” I grabbed Luke’s hand and pulled him up, “That man with the green hat had an aconite flower on it. It’s him! So we have to go!”

Luke’s mouth opened. “I swear I didn't see the flower. LJ, I swear.”

“I know. Angie?” I held out my hand, and Angie took it, her palm cold and clammy.

“How did he find us?” She whispered.

“I don’t know,” My eyes scanned the Inn; the cloaked figure from the corner had gone, nothing but the tankard left on the table. “I don’t know.”

“I suppose finding you someone is off the table?” Angie said weakly.

Tightening my grip on both Angie and Luke, I whispered the Old Words, and the Inn vanished from around us, replaced with somewhere new.