SEVENTEEN

.---- --...

We waited until after the birth of the new year to reopen the bar. Ryon and I kept our heads low, foregoing the Year Birth Celebrations in the city center to nestle together in the quiet house while Elodie and Marietta celebrated. We spent our days plotting the future of the tavern, with our primary focus on the new security measures to protect our storytellers. We settled on one option: once we became the rightful owners of the house, we would turn the building into a traditional tavern. Regular visitors could spend the night in one of the many rooms, while those who knew the passcode could enter the basement through the tunnel system. 

We kept the plan quiet, waiting to do anything to the house until Marietta and Elodie moved. For now, we relied only on our own guile and precautions to protect everyone from harm.

To keep the Guard off our trail, Ryon took the reins in finding the storytellers during his lunch breaks while I stayed at home to quell Elodie’s suspicions.

Not that Elodie was around much. I had seen little of Elodie since we found the body. She either hid away in her room or ventured into the city to shop for the babe…and to look at real estate.

So more often than not, I spent the day alone, tending to the tavern, securing our alarm, and counting the days until storytellers graced the stage again.

The day before we planned to reopen, a knock interrupted my cleaning on the front door. I dropped my broom and raced upstairs to find Jaida surprising me at the front door. 

“Jaida! I did not expect you!” I exclaimed.

“Nanette, darling.” Jaida took both my hands. “I am so glad to see you okay.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I ushered her inside the foyer. “Please, come in!”

“I have little time, unfortunately, Nanette. I must go back to work soon. Ryon has my back, but at some point, someone will come searching for me.”

“Jaida, please, stay. I—”

“Nanette, dear, please listen to me.”

I slumped and stared at her.

“I one-hundred percent support you and Ryon in this crazy endeavor, but I am pleading you be careful.”

“We are! We’ve set up this system and are keeping to a small group—”

“Yes, and I am relieved to see that. But I need you to know something.”

“What is it? What’s wrong?” My heart plummeted in my chest.

“The old woman found dead outside this house was no accident. She was murdered.” Jaida lowered her voice. “My brother did some investigating after hearing about the murder. She was a well-known and beloved storyteller here in the Capitol.”

“Yes, I know. She frequently told stories.”

“And that is why they murdered her.” 

“Murdered?” I shook my head. It didn’t surprise me; everything about the death seemed too perfect. Ryon had already voiced his suspicions. “So is it a warning? Like Ryon thought?

“Perhaps. There is much to be uncovered. The Order has its hands all throughout the government. It will stop at nothing to rid the province of storytellers and stop their magic from spreading.” Jaida looked over her shoulder again. “I have a hunch based on hearsay throughout the Capitol Building. One of the Order’s cronies saw the poor old woman leave the fields. Recognizing her, they beat her up and left her on a local’s doorstep. This time, it was your doorstep, the house closest to the fields. If they discovered your tavern, then I’m sure they would have attacked here too.” 

“But that’s barbaric! She was a kind, old woman.” 

“Yes, but she told stories, didn’t she? She toyed with magic and stood against the Order. And that is all they care about.” Jaida squeezed my hand. “All I’m asking is that you be careful and be aware of everyone you let into the tavern. If you let the wrong person in, then it could be the end for you or Ryon.”

I nodded.

“That being said,” Jaida’s smile returned, “I cannot wait to see this tavern in all its glory. A true speakeasy! I never would have thought! I’ll have to talk with my brother about opening one in the Newbird Region, especially if the Order’s plans hinder us further.”

“The Utopian Project, you mean?”

“Yes, but I think something like this would be a way to stick it to them if you catch my drift.” She winked. “Although so many of the people out there are backward and nosy. It might not be as easy to hide...” Jaida glanced around the house, “It is a shame, though, that we have to resort to this.” 

“At least stories will survive.”

“Yes, and that is all that matters.” She sighed. “Well, I best be off. I shall see you tomorrow then.” 

“You mean, you’re coming to the speakeasy? Even after everything you said? “

“Of course! My brother is as well! I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Ryon has been babbling about your success... and you should see all the work he has put into getting the patrons—oh, I spoke too soon! But you’ll see! You’ll see!”

Before I could question anything else, she kissed my forehead like a sister would, waved me goodbye, and started down the road back to the Capitol.

“Wait! Jaida!” I raced after her.

Jaida stopped by the fence, “Nanette, I must be off.”  

“One last question.” 

“Yes?”

“Did you find out the name of the old woman? She never told anyone...” I looked at my feet, ashamed.

I never even thought to ask.

“Ah, yes. Her name was Brenda Harley.”

“Brenda...” I said to myself and nodded, “Thank you.”

Jaida waved, then left with haste. I watched her leave, yearning for her to stay longer. But I also reveled in the excitement of her return. The senator was coming too! I couldn’t believe it!

Yet, the excitement tapered off at the thought of Old Brenda Harley, of our tavern, of the Guard, and of Ryon. He came home each night exhausted, working overtime to get this place up and running. I could only imagine one day we’d be self-sufficient. He’d gone from a farm boy to a cabby and to a tavern owner working in the government in a short time. But a constant cloud hung over me, warning that something would take him away from me. Would he have to work again for his father? Or would I have to go back to Volfium? Would Elodie kick us out of the house before she and Marietta settled in the city? 

Would we end up like poor Brenda Harley? 

No. Staring in the tavern, at the tables and chairs set up around the stage, I realized one thing:

We were going to win. Or go out fighting.

 

With daylight fizzling off with the sunset, Jaida and her brother, the notorious Senator Calvin Heartz, arrived at our tavern the following night. To tighten security, Ryon established a secret password that would change each night, along with the open tunnel location. Word-of-mouth spread it, referral-based only, and we would cap attendance each night. 

We made an exception for Jaida and Calvin.

I hopped from foot to foot as Senator Heartz introduced himself to me. His wide smile glistened on his face, shining beneath his curly beard. When he laughed, his eyes lit up like Jaida’s face, excitement shared between them in equal dosages.

Senator Heartz skulked around our tavern, towering over it like a giant, making me feel like an insect on the wall. He had presence, he had standing, and he spent his evening here, listening to our tales. Ryon walked by his side in pride, never shutting his mouth as if the two of them were old friends.

“You have put in much work, haven’t you, Mr. Barnes?” Senator Heartz chuckled, his voice booming.

“I can’t really take the credit. Nanette has put her heart in soul into this.” Ryon flashed a grin in my direction.

My heart leapt. 

“Yes, Miss Ivans.” Senator Heartz finally acknowledged me. “Jaida has told me much about you! It is a pleasure to meet you at last.”

“Same to you, Senator.”

“Please, call me Calvin.”

My face warmed.

Ryon chuckled, “You’re embarrassing her, Senator. Please, save it for the stories.”

“Oh, I’m not a storyteller. I am just here to observe.”

“What about you, Jaida?” I asked.

Jaida joined her brother’s laughter. “Oh no, no...I’m afraid not. I heard you told a story, though!”

“That won’t be happening again...” I slumped into my chair. I didn’t have the confidence or the energy to tell another tale this time. Our storytellers could be the stars.

“I don’t think we’ll be short of stories.” Ryon leaned against the counter and yawned. “I got a word out to a few people I trust. It’s a good password. No one will think of it.”

“You still haven’t told me what it is.”

“Oh, that’s easy. ‘Nanette is a sunset.’”

 

The relaunch was a success. At least fifteen storytellers arrived throughout the night. Each one knocked thrice on the bar door, provided Ryon a coin for entry and a whisper of my name, then ventured into our secret tavern. I kept the bar stocked, putting on my fake smile and laughing as a drunken man came over, croaking about giant frogs. 

Jaida and Calvin stayed for a while. I forgot how peculiar stories were for people like them. They listened to each story with intent, eyes wide and in awe. In Stilette, ridiculous tales like this bolstered in the streets. But to people like Senator Heartz and his sister, stories were legends. They never fathomed such tales, and when each one ended, they both hopped to their feet, clapping like children.

The Heartz siblings took their leave after midnight, exchanging places with a few other storytellers whispering on the bar stools. I served them their liquor, then leaned against the back counter. Storytellers gathered in a hushed group while an elderly man told a tale on the stage. A few practiced magic parlor tricks. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel, despite the wonderful turnout, that the speakeasy still felt empty. This place needed an audience. It needed a reason to be boisterous.

And it couldn’t start jeering until Elodie moved out. 

Ryon joined me as the tavern dwindled to sleep. We had instructed each storyteller to take a different path out of the tunnels, hindering the possibility of discovery. No guards came, to our relief. Even after the last storyteller disappeared, Ryon continued standing alert on the porch for another thirty minutes before helping me clean the mess in the tavern.

His smile punctuated his cheeks with dimples. “That went well, I think.”

“It did.” I agreed. “Let’s hope we don’t get another warning on our lawn.”

“I don’t think we will. We were cautious. People left in intervals. No one was watching. I even circled the perimeter a few times.” He nodded to himself. “Besides, if they knew about us, wouldn’t they have snagged the people in charge? Or stormed in or something?”

He was right. Yet my worries remained heavy in my chest. What if they came knocking in the morning? What if Elodie discovered us? 

Gently, Ryon nudged my chin. “Don’t worry, alright? We did it. This time for real. Once we get this thing into being a real tavern, no one’s gonna notice us. We’ll just be in another place on the outskirts of town. Who cares about a bunch of poor old tavern owners?”

“We’re not old.” I giggled. 

“Speak for yourself. I feel ancient.”

“You’re not though,” I wrapped my arms around him and nuzzled his neck.

He groaned.

“Come on, let’s get this place clean so we can go to bed.” 

“It’s been years since I’ve been in a bed…” Ryon yawned.

“We were in bed last night.”

“Mm. But you kept me awake!”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re usually the one who wants to stay up.”

“Can’t help it,” he grinned.

I hated that grin so much that I kissed him to make it disappear.