The walk from the tral Archives to The Hearth & Ember went quickly, though the eime they were walking, the tension from meeting Yona lingered in the air between Krion and Hatsuhe Leporine said little after their st exge, but her focus on their surroundings and the way her ears occasionally twitched betrayed her unease. For his part, Krion tried to focus on the upiing with his friends, but his thoughts kept returning to Yona’s words, her presence, and the tentative alliahey had formed. It was strange. A month ago, he would have been shocked into insensibility at how strange her appearance was, but withihan a week of getting started at the Imperial Academy, she barely merited a sed gnce, given all the other races he had seen in passing. Though he was still well behind in many things, it was strange how quickly he had adapted to learning that humans were so very far from the only advanced sapient life ience.

  Pushing away the idle thoughts, as they had no bearing on his survival at the moment, Krion turned his attention to the sense of wele that practically seemed to radiate from the building that was The Hearth & Ember. Though he felt somewhat guilty at the thought, he couldn’t help hoping that other ss hadn’t yet discovered Ordraablishmehe faint st of roasti and spices wafted out from the tavern, carried by a cool breeze, making Krion’s stomach rumble in anticipation.

  Hatsuhe ushing open the heavy oak door, the f hum of versation and king cutlery enveloped them both as they went ihe tavern was busier than on his previous visits, but not quite so much that it could be sidered crowded. He felt the instinctive tightening in his shoulders rex slightly as he saw not groups of ss eating at tables but rather a good number of older dwarves scattered around tables den with food and drink. A quice showed each was pletely bereft of the uniform that indicated an enrolled s.

  The room grew quiet as attention turo Krion and Hatsuanding just ihe door not yet closed. A grim dwarf, his face practically carved from granite and with hair on his head and face whiter than most, made eye tact with Krion from across the room. If possible, the look on his face grew even more dour. As he made to stand, a number of dwarves at the nearby tables tensed and made to do the same. Hatsuensed, stepping in front of him, her hand reag down for the hilt of her longsword. Before she could draw it, a voice rang out.

  “Ah, there ye are!” Ordran’s deep, gravelly voice called out as he stepped from behind the bar.

  “Been wonderin’ whewo would show up,” Ordran tinued as he walked over to them, wiping his hands on a cloth tucked into his belt. The old, white-haired dwarf and his panions froze, half out of their seats behind him. “Go on, take yer usual spot. I’ll be right with ye once I finish up i. Got a new roast on the spit that ’t be left to its own devices, y’see.”

  “Thanks, Ordran, we’ll be—” Krion started to reply with a smile as Hatsune rexed slightly at their friend’s greeting before an angry growl came from the seated dwarf with the white hair.

  “Ordran!” the old dwarf barked, his voice thick with anger. “Who do ye think ye be sittin’? That human s — what’s he doing here, in a respectable dwarven tavern?” He smmed his gnarled hand oable in front of him, causing the tankards and ptes to rattle. ”A pampered one like him, in’ in and makin’ himself fortable while true, hardworkin’ dwarves like us simply want a fine meal away from his kind! Why do ye let him in, eh?!“

  Ordran’s eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing with barely-tained ire of his own. The previous weling gleam in his eyes shifted, a steely look overing his face as he turo look over at the other dwarf. The tavern, quiet before, went silent.

  “Ye have a problem with him, Vuldrin?” rowled back, his voice low, carrying the weight of an old legionnaire who had faced worse than an old dwarf with a vea against ss. “Krion’s no different than any other patron in my tavern. He’s got manners, which is more than I say for ye sometimes.”

  The mention of Krion’s name caused the old dwarf’s face to redden further. “Manners, eh? Ha! A s, I tell ye! A him sit there like he’s like one o’ us — like he’s earned his keep and was not just born to it!”

  Ordran’s fists ched at his sides. He stood straight, shoulders squared, the muscle memory of his legionraining fring back to life from the embers it usually lingered as. The rest of the dwarves, sensing if not seeing the shift, began to murmur about the frontation. They went quiet once more when Ordran finally responded.

  “Krion,” Ordran said, his voice rising, “has never demanded anything from me. He’s never asked for special treatment, despite his rank. Unlike some highborn nobles I’ve known, he doesn’t expeyoo bow or cater to his whims.” He paused, gring at Vuldrin with, if possible, eveer iy. “The human even plimented my cooking, something that I don’t hear from the normal pompous lot that wanders in through these doors. He’s got more humility than the majority of the ss I served under in the Legions, so don’t ye dare talk about him like he doesn’t belong!”

  Vuldrin’s mouth opened, but the words caught in his throat as he tried to process the words. Ordran shifted, his gaze never leaving the old dwarf’s.

  “And if ye don’t like it,” Ordran spat, “ye leave. Ain’t no room for that kind o’ attitude here.”

  Vuldrin blinked, his fury mixing with a moment of shock as he tried to hold Ordran’s gaze, but the weight of the veteran’s words hung heavy in the air. A tense silence lingered for a moment, before Vuldrin grunted in disbelief. He turned away to sink bato his chair, and it scrapped as he settled into it. His fellow dwarves, after a moment, followed suit, though not daring to grumble as they sat down, too intimidated to challenge Ordran’s anding presence.

  The older dwarf cowed, Ordra out a slight sigh, his anger simmering down to a manageable level. He turo Krion, who hadn’t moved during the frontation.

  “Go on then,” ave him a small nod, “Like I said, yer usual table’s open.”

  “Thank you, Ord—my friend,” Krion replied with a smile that was mirrored on Ordran’s face.

  “Of course, d,” Ordran smiled. “Far prefer ye and yer friends to the other pompous brats who e here every on a while. Now, I’ll be over in a few to get yer order.”

  As Ordra bato the kit, Krion turned with Hatsuo head over to the table they had previously used. As they settled into their chairs, Hatsuing their things that she had carried beside her, Krion gnced again around the room, noting that all the other patrons had returo their meals and versations. He was a bit surprised at the number of dwarves present, but given that The Hearth & Ember likely attracted a mix of students and staff perhaps it was to be expected. He felt himself rex deeper into his chair. This tavern was one of the few pces at the Imperial Academy where Krio he could truly unwind, away from the stant pressure and intrigue of other ss.

  Hatsune shifted in her seat, her eyes still sing the room of dwarves warily. Still on edge, her ears twitched at every loud movement one of the other patrons made.

  “Rex,” Krion told her. “Given Ordran’s rea to Vuldrin, and the fact there are no other ss here right now, this is probably the safest p campus.”

  “It’s not the tavern I’m worried about,” Hatsutered.

  Krion sighed, resting his elbows oable and leaning forward towards his bodyguard. “Well, that is why we are here, waiting for Valdre and Redrek.”

  Before Hatsune could respond, Ordran came over to the table, carrying two steaming mugs. He set them down oable, the rich aroma of spiced cider wafting up from them.

  “There ye go, somethin’ to warm ye up while ye wait,” Ordran said, his grin broad. “And don’t worry, I didn’t add anythin’ to to it. Just enough to take the edge off.”

  “Thanks, Ordran,” Krion said, lifting the mug and taking a sip. The cider was sweet and tangy, with just a hint of warmth from whatever spirit the dwarf had added. It erfect after the day he had just had.

  “Shouldn’t be long now,” Ordran tinued, straightening up. “The roast is nearly done, and I’ve got some fresh bread ing out of the oven. Ye won’t be disappointed, I promise ye that.”

  “We never are,” Hatsune said, her tone softer than before, though her expression remained guarded.

  ave her a knowing look, then cpped a hand on Krion’s shoulder. “Good d, this one. Always clears his pte, unlike some of ye younger folk. Keep yer appetite up, Krion. Ye’ll if yer gonna keep runnin’ circles ‘round the other ss.”

  Krion chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ll do my best.”

  With that, Ordrauro the kit, leaving Krion and Hatsuo savor their drinks. Krion watched him go. The grey-bearded dwarf’s gruff demeanor hid a warm heart, something that Krion had e to appreciate. Ordran never fawned over him or treated him with the cautious reverehat others often did ohey saw the mark of his House on his uniform. To Ordran, Krion was just another hungry er — and that was a refreshing gift.

  Krioled bato his chair, enjoying the f crackle of the hearth nearby and the calm it brought after the st two days. Hatsuhough still a bit tense, appeared to be beginning to rex a bit more as she sipped her drink. With the Leporig the rest of the room, lost ihoughts, Krion pulled out the book on House Bcksword’s history. The book was the first key to uanding where he came from and, perhaps most importantly, why he was being targeted on campus by the other ss. He knew he didn’t have enough time now, but he inteo at least get started reading the book before the night ended.

  Before he could sider the book further, Hatsune’s ears twitched to the door of The Hearth & Ember, and she turo look. The heavy door jerked open, and a rge man in armor stepped ihat Krinized immediately. Garran. Stepping in behind him was his charge, the half-frost elf Valdre. Muttering something under his breath, Krion’s half-elven friend was soon joined by the hobgoblin s, Redrek. Bringing up the rear was Kael, who kept his body ao keep one eye oreet until he pulled the door closed behind him. While Krion had expected his friends and their bodyguards to meet them, he had not expected them to be quite so on edge. Perhaps something had happened.

  Dwarven heads turned as a draft swept into the room. Gng over, Krion saw that Vuldrin had that same angry scowl on his face from earlier, but one pierg gre from Ordran behind the bar kept the troublemaking old dwarf firmly in his chair. It didn’t stop him from muttering something to the other dwarves who shared his table, however. Something that brought grim looks to their faces.

  “Krion!” Valdre called out, his voice carrying over the sounds of the tavern. The half-frost elf’s tone was urgent. His pierg ice-blue eyes locked onto Krion as he rushed over, the others behind him.

  Krion exged a gh Hatsune, who sighed and muttered under her breath, “So much for a quiet dinner.”

  His friends reached the table in no time. Valdre arrived first, an urgent look on his face. Garran remained a step behind him, sing the room with a watchful gaze, much like Hatsune did whenever she was on the lookout for threats. Redrek and Kael brought up the rear. If it were possible, they looked even more tehan the half-frost elf did.

  “What’s going on?” Krion asked as he put the book back away.

  “We o talk,” Valdre said, his voice low and serious. Without waiting for an invitation, Valdre and then Redrek sat down in chairs fag Krion and Hatsune. Garran and Kael followed suit, though their gazes tio drift around the room, expressions unreadable.

  “Everything alright?” Krion pressed, gng betweewo ss. He had expected them to be upset, but everything from how they arrived to how they sat staring at him now told Krion that something else was going on.

  “That depends,” Redrek said, his sharp teeth fshing as he settled into his chair. “Ordran’s serving that roast special tonight, isn’t he?”

  “Redrek,” Vldre said, his voice filled with equal parts exasperation and amusement. “Focus.”

  Almost as if the hobgoblin’s words had summoned him, the heavy footfalls of Ordran sounded by the bar as the veteran dwarf made his way over to their table. He moved swiftly, a smile on his face at seeing the two other ss already sitting.

  “Well, well,” Ordran said, gng at the two test arrivals and their bodyguards. “I expected to see ye all tonight, what with Krion being here, but not quite in the rush ye came in with.” He looked over the table as a whole, then asked, “What’ll it be, then?”

  “I’ll have the special,” Redrek said immediately, his fanged grin widening. “I could smell that roast practically dowreet from here.”

  Kael gave a brief nod as the dwarf’s gaze nded on him. “Same.”

  Garran, the quietest of the group, still had an eye on the door, but he grunted in agreement with Kael’s order.

  “And for you, Valdre?” Ordran asked, arg a bushy eyebrow at the half-frost elf.

  “ you make me somethiarian again tonight?” Valdre asked politely.

  “Aye, I’ve got somethin’ for ye,” Ordran replied with a smile, likely having expected the request from Valdre. “Matter a’fact, it’s been cooking for a few hours now, since I was expe’ ye to e tonight. I’ll bring it out with the rest.”

  “Perfect, thank you,” Valdre said, a smile of his own.

  Ordran turo Krion and Hatsune. “Ye want the special as well, d?”

  “Of course,” Krion said with a nod.

  Hatsuated for a moment before she nodded as well. “Same for me.”

  “Good choice,” Ordran said, g his hands together, looking again at the others. “I’ll get it all sorted. Drinks’ll be out first for ye four, aye? Sit tight.”

  As the dwarf returo the kit, Krion turned his attention back to Valdre and Redrek, his expression expet. “Alright, you’ve got my attention. What’s going on?”

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