The Gnoll hesitated and looked at her. He was [Head Server], and Silveran was used to obeying him. The Worker picked up the pieces as the Goblin [Shaman] didn’t reply. Ishkr scratched at his forehead, sighed, and looked at Silveran, who was trying to set the board up to a pre-game state.
Bags packed, rooms vacated. Ishkr would need to clean them or…have them cleaned. Perhaps he could pay one of the employees for an hour or two’s work. He was, after all, [Head Server] now. He hadn’t ever dreamed he’d be in that kind of role.
The [Head Server] looked at the message. He thought of what Erin would write. Then he quickly reversed the piece of wood, and dipped the brush into the paint. He wrote again, and this time stood back. Satisfied, Ishkr put it up, nailed it into the door, and looked at it.
The Gnoll [Head Server] glanced at her. He calmly held out a paw. And when he spoke, his words reached even Valeterisa. Mainly because he was using a [Thought-Provoking Statement]. A Skill for legends…or people working at Erin’s inn. You would not believe how useful it was.
The two entered the inn, nodding to each other, and found Ishkr reporting for duty with Liska and a whole lot of empty space next to him. The [Head Server] gave Erin an embarrassed look as the [Princess] and [Innkeeper] came to a stop. Lyonette groaned.
It was actually amazing that the [Head Server] was covering all the tables with Liska and Lyonette’s occasional help plus a few Antinium trainees. Still, that was because the guests were simpler in their desires.
Coal had the same qualities as diamond, but one was not the other. And yet…soon she would be heading to a place with many [Witches]. On a task from one of the greatest [Witches] of her era. The signs were everywhere in the inn. A swirl of salt knocked over by a little Gnoll’s paw. Soap suds in the bucket of water the [Head Server] patiently dunked dirty plates into.
She lost sight of Ishkr, and by the time she rounded the corner, taking the long, long way across Market Street, he was gone. He really did take being the [Head Server] seriously. She rolled her eyes—then groaned.
Setup, setup. And at least one [Head Server] knew it full well. It took a while to eventuate a party. Even the [Innkeeper] at the peak of health couldn’t do it in less than, oh, an hour.
The Hob hesitated. Rags had been here, the day Erin had woken up, and so had he. But that had been like a glorious flash of everyone speaking at once and a long-awaited reunion. They had not—spoken. So he glanced out the kitchen to where his Chieftain was waiting. Then, nervously at Ishkr. But the [Head Server] smiled so quick he beat Calescent’s nervous grin. As if the Hobgoblin were simply eager, not strange. Ishkr nodded to the buzzing inn.
Ishkr. The [Head Server] was everywhere, showing Antinium who to give food to and how to record receipts in the busy inn. Amazingly, he was keeping up with the chaos so far, but one look and Lyonette knew he needed backup.
