Chapter Twenty-Two

Bev waited for Dag Flanigan to show up at the inn to arrest her, look for the grannies, or even just to rest his head for the night. But after a week spent on tenterhooks, Bev finally exhaled a little. It seemed they'd gotten away with the impossible.

Of course, the town was rife with rumors and gossip about what had happened and where Flanigan had gone. Everyone seemed to have their own story, but the one Bev liked the most came from Allen via his sugar merchant.

"Yeah, he says that Flanigan's down south, still looking for that dragon flying in the sky," he said. "Tearing up the coast in search of it."

"I doubt that," Vicky said, sitting next to Allen. She'd taken to helping him bring the pastries by in the morning, and Bev was pleased to see they were working so well together.

"I'm telling you, my sugar merchant has a wide area. He said Flanigan was on a tear headed toward the coast," Allen said. "Do you think dragons can fly that far? Or maybe it was a wyvern?"

"Could've just been a really large bat," Bev said, earning a snort from Vicky.

"I've got to get to work," Vicky said, rising and pecking Allen on the cheek. "See you this afternoon?"

"Can't wait," Allen said, squeezing her hand.

"What's this afternoon?" Bev asked as Vicky walked out the door.

"The start of our wedding planning," he said, sounding a bit less enthused than he had a moment before. "Vicky wants me intimately involved, she says, since it's our day. I'd rather just bake us a cake and leave the rest of it to her, but she's insistent."

"So I've heard," Bev said. "Do you two have a date in mind?"

"Two months from yesterday," Allen said. "I thought I might see if that cleric is still around. What was his name?"

"Wallace?" Bev smiled. "I can't say for sure, but you could write to Kaiser Tuckey and see if he knows where they went next. I'm sure he and Paul would like the coin."

"Coin." Allen made a face. "This is going to cost me, isn't it? And Vicky doesn't want to involve her mother's family, even though they've got loads of money."

"I'm sure you'll manage," Bev said, opening her log book and making a note of the date. It wasn't as if she got too many advanced bookings, but it was good to keep a record of these things. "The inn will be yours for whatever guests you need."

"Hopefully, none," Allen said, rising. "But you know how weddings go."

"I've only been to one," Bev said. "I'm sure you and Vicky will make yours lovely." She paused, clearing her throat. "You should, however, probably let her know that the beautiful ring on her finger is actually a magical object. Just in case Mr. Flanigan makes another visit to town."

"Do you think she'll be mad at me?" Allen said. "We said no more secrets, but I don't know how she'd feel if she knew what it was."

"I think she's probably got a secret or two of her own," Bev said. "Might as well start your marriage off on the right foot by getting these things out in the open."

"Perhaps you're right," Allen said, before nodding to the two loaves on the counter. "Who are those for?"

"Ah, headed to Merv's today," Bev said. "I'd promised him a loaf of bread and to give him an update on everything. Since I'm finished with my spring cleaning, I thought it would be a good day for it."

~

Merv was doubly delighted to get loaves of bread as well as hear everything that had gone on in town. Bev gave him the full story, knowing her dear moleman friend wouldn't be crossing paths with any queen's soldiers anytime soon. He slathered slices of the bread with butter and munched down, licking his long claws as he finished.

"Shifters! I never would've imagined," he said. "And what brilliance to send the soldier Flanigan away to the east on a wild goose chase."

"Surprised it worked so well, myself," Bev said. "He's quite smart, that Flanigan. And—"

She paused, tapping her fingers on the cup and holding her tongue.

"And what, Bev?" Merv asked, his whiskers twitching.

"Well, it's just…" She sighed. She hadn't told anyone about her latest memory, not even Vellora, who'd probably been in it. "You know how I don't have a clue who I was before I showed up in Pigsend?"

He nodded.

"I've started to get flashes of things. Things that probably should remain forgotten." She stirred her large cup of tea with a spoon the size of her kitchen ladles. "The more I uncover, the more unnerved I become. I think I should just maintain my life as the innkeeper of the Weary Dragon, but…there's a part of me that wants to keep digging."

"What sort of flashes?" Merv asked.

"Well, it started with an amulet that was buried in my garden—an amulet that glowed again a few weeks later. I buried it in a thicket far away, but when I did, I uncovered the other piece to it. And with that came a horrible memory of what I believe to be a battle from the kingside perspective."

"Dear me."

"Then, during the solstice, I was talking with Vellora about a nasty battle she was a part of," Bev continued, "and I remembered it. Being there, fighting against soldiers with the same iron bangle that Dag Flanigan had on his person." She shivered. "I don't know if I should keep digging or just leave it be."

"What would you do if you uncovered who you were before Pigsend?" Merv asked, picking up his ball of yarn and starting to work.

"That's just it: I don't know. I feel…" She ran her finger along the rim. "If I find out who I was, and if it's someone who could make a difference in the world…" She let out a breath. "Who am I kidding? I was probably a scullery maid or something like that."

Merv made a noncommittal sound. "You've always seemed to me a person touched by magic, Bev. What kind of magic, I haven't a clue. But magic. It's why that mischievous little laelaps is so loyal to you—they only bond with magical users."

Bev had known that, but she'd been ignoring that fact. "What should I do?"

"Well, if I were you…"

Bev leaned forward, waiting with bated breath.

"I would wake up every morning, do your chores, bake your bread, make dinner for the denizens of Pigsend, and continue living life as you are."

She sat back, a scowl on her face. "Very funny."

"Unless you find yourself some sort of superpowered wizard with the ability to dethrone the queen and undo all the damage she's done to the world."

"Doubtful."

"Then I wouldn't worry about it too much. You're Bev of Pigsend. Nothing more, nothing less. And if your past wants to come back to haunt you, then you can simply tell the ghost to go somewhere else."

Bev took a sip of her tea, unsure that sort of decision would be up to her. "Well, in any case, if I did have a bit of magic, it might make untangling these tricky situations a little easier. Maybe I could magick a person like Mayor Hendry and bend them to my will."

"Or steal her chairs," Merv said with a laugh.

She took another sip. "Wonder if we'll see any of the other soldiers again."

"As I recall, Karolina seemed fairly pleased to have seen the last of the town," Merv said. "And if Renault was to come back, everyone would recognize him, no? Puts a damper on his ability to fool people again."

"Unless he could magick a new face onto his own," Bev said.

"Now you're just talking silly," Merv said. "A new face. What kind of creature can do that?"

Bev sipped her tea. She didn't know, and she certainly didn't want to find out. "Suppose I should be getting back into town. I'm not sure Etheldra's forgiven me for not having dinner for her last night."

"But does she know what you did?"

"No one does. And I intend to keep it that way," Bev said, rising. "If you ever fancy a nice meal, you're welcome to join us at the inn. Be happy to give you a room, too, if you don't want to walk all the way back home."

"How about you come visit me again, and we'll just have a nice cuppa and catch up?" Merv asked.

"That sounds lovely, too," Bev said. "I'll see you soon, Merv."

~

Bev left Merv's feeling like she'd drunk her weight in tea, but her soul was fulfilled. It was a shame Merv was a ways away, for she'd very much like to spend more time with him. Wim McKee never put much stock in holidays or breaks, but as much as Bev loved and cared for her beautiful inn, there was something to be said for a good friendship.

She meandered back into town, pondering what she might cook for dinner since it was probably going to be a small crowd, when she saw a familiar wagon parked out front of the Norrises's house.

"Holly! PJ!" Bev cheered, opening the door. "Well, aren't you two a sight for sore eyes?"

The teenager looked completely cured, with a healthy glow to his cheeks and a brightness in his eyes. His mother, too, seemed much less harried than the last time Bev had seen her. But the third person with them was the most surprising.

"Rita!" Bev exclaimed. "What in the world are you doing back in town? Thought you'd have moved on to your next place."

"My sister and cousin have set off north," she said. "But I had to make sure young PJ made it home safe and sound."

Bev glanced around the shop; there wasn't anyone except the Norrises and the two seamstresses. "Aren't you worried Flanigan will be back?"

"He's off chasing ghosts on the coastline," Rita said. "And the kids gave us a good idea for the next time he comes sniffing too close to our affairs."

Bev wasn't sure it would work twice, but she was grateful it seemed to have this time.

"And now, thanks to that amulet, young PJ's magic is completely contained," Rita said.

Bev started. "Amulet?"

"Yes." Rita gestured to the boy, and he produced a small engraved amulet that was hanging around his neck.

Bev exhaled—it looked nothing like the amulet she had. "Well, thank goodness for that," she said, smiling at Holly. "How…was it?"

"It was terrifying," she said, earning a bashful look from PJ. "But also magnificent. They're majestic creatures. Proud to say my son is one of them."

"Do we have any idea how he came into his abilities?" Bev asked.

"Not yet, but it really doesn't matter. I'm sure all the magic in the ground helped whatever faint magic was in his blood," Rita said. "Hear that it's something of a common thing around Pigsend. People whose family didn't have a lick of magic suddenly sprouting all manner of abilities."

"So they say," Bev said. "You're off to join your sister and cousin, Rita?"

"Tomorrow morning." Her eyes sparkled. "Couldn't say no to one more night of your delicious cooking."

"You might have to fight with Etheldra for it," Bev said with a laugh. "Why don't we head back to the inn?"

~

Bev and Rita walked the short distance back to the inn in silence. Ramone and Horst were in the town square, measuring it and barking orders at each other. Hendry was overseeing them from the town hall, her fingernail tracing her blood-red lipstick. She gave Bev and Rita a once-over, but didn't say a word to them. Earl had not just Valta and Grant measuring and cutting wood near the schoolhouse, but the entire class of schoolchildren, with Bardoff hovering and presumably trying to make it into a math lesson.

"Seems like things are getting back to normal around here," Rita said.

"As normal as they ever get," Bev said with a smile. "Until the next calamity."

"I'm sure they'll call on you to solve it," Rita said. "I hear that's your specialty now."

As much as Bev didn't want to admit it, it was starting to look that way. Much like the pull to discover her own past, she couldn't help but become embroiled in the troubles of the town, in the hopes that she could help someone.

And it was that urge that scared Bev the most about finding out who she really was.

"What is it?" Rita asked.

"Just thinking," Bev said quietly. She licked her lips. "That amulet you gave PJ. Are there others like it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've… As you heard, I'm not quite sure who I was before I showed up here," Bev said. "But I found… Well, I found an amulet. Pieces of one, at least. And I fear that it might've been." She swallowed. "Mine. But I don't know what it was used for or why it's in pieces. Was I the one to break it? Someone else? Is it the reason I don't remember who I was?" She sighed, sensing that she was rambling. "I had a flash of the war when I touched them together. And it glowed."

"There are many different kinds of amulets for many different purposes," Rita said.

"That's not helpful," Bev said with a shake of her head.

"Well, I doubt you'd find anything on the subject around here," Rita said, gesturing to the town. "Although your local librarian seems lovely, the queen made sure those kinds of books were destroyed. But if you were to find a place that hasn't been overtaken by the queen, you might find the answers you're looking for."

Bev started. Merv had mentioned such a place, just down the street, in fact.

Could Lower Pigsend be the key to unlocking the mystery?

Rita nodded knowingly. "We did think there was something special about you, Bev. But we couldn't put our finger on it."

"I guess I was just wondering if it's worth it to find out more. Or if I should just let sleeping dogs lie." She rubbed the back of her short hair. "I'm afraid of what I'd do if I found out the truth."

"I don't think I believed you capable of fear," Rita said. "But my advice to you is to follow your heart. Memory or not, who you are hasn't changed. And if something is compelling you to find out more, I would follow that lead."

Bev nodded. "Tomorrow, perhaps. For today, I've got a date with a beef chuck roast and some parsnips, and one very hungry dragon shifter to feed."

"Oh, do you think you could add some carrots, too? I do love carrots and parsnips."