jerked toward her, stumbling over their feet and staring at her with wide eyes and gaping mouths. The other magicals who’d stopped at her shout picked up their errands again, giving Cheyenne a wide berth now too. “Whatever issue you guys have with each other, take care of it somewhere else, huh? There are kids here, and people who don’t wanna be caught up in your bullshit. Don’t make me drag you out of here like a couple of bullies on the playground, all right?”

Skunkhead’s mouth opened and closed without any sound. The lanky orc trembled from head to toe, letting out terrified whimpers through his slack jaw. Then the giant troll dropped to his knees right there in the middle of the avenue. “Forgive me.”

The orc looked at the now-sniveling troll who’d just tried to burn him to a crisp and slowly bent over until he was kneeling too, arms outstretched with Cheyenne’s quivering tendrils tightening around his wrists. “What he said.”

The half-drow stared at them and didn’t move. I could get used to this, but what the hell?

“The people you should be apologizing too are those trolls over there. You’re screwing up their family outing.”

“So sorry.”

“Sorry. We’re done.”

“Uh-huh.” Cheyenne glanced at her troll ex-neighbors. R’mahr and Yadje looked horrified that these magicals were even talking to them. Bryl stared at the halfling and seemed ready to start cheering. The halfling gave another sharp tug on the black tendrils holding these guys at bay. “Whenever you’re ready to start using your brains, I’m more than ready to forget I had to do this.”

Skunkhead and the trembling orc both nodded vigorously, bobbing their heads down between their outstretched arms without a word.

The quivering black tendrils whipped away from their wrists and retracted into Cheyenne’s fingers. The orc fell flat on his face before scrambling back to his feet. Then he darted through the crowd and farther down the avenue, dodging the magicals in his way. Skunkhead stood slowly, looking up at the half-drow with terrified eyes before dropping his head again. Then he slowly backed away toward the front door of his tavern in a never-ending bow.

Cheyenne watched him go until he slipped through the door and slammed it shut behind him. His two cronies whirled to follow but had to fumble with the door before they also disappeared.

When she turned to look at the troll family huddling together on the other side of the avenue, they didn’t move an inch. Sighing, the halfling glanced around Peridosh and found everyone else minding their own business like the whole thing had never happened. “Okay.”

She picked up the leather sleeve around her super-expensive magical web and went back to her old neighbors. “Even when I’m not looking for it, there’s always some kind of mess that needs to be cleaned up. I’m really sorry about that.”

“No, no, Cheyenne.” R’mahr lifted a hand, his eyes glistening with the start of tears. “I told you not to apologize to us, and I meant every word. I still do.”

“Yeah, but you guys shouldn’t have to deal with crap like that. You were just trying to get a little shopping done.”

Yadje’s lips were pressed together so tightly, they’d basically disappeared. “Well, that’s why we come on Wednesdays.”

Cheyenne and R’mahr both shot her a surprised glance before bursting into laughter. The troll woman’s lips quivered a little, then she let out a self-conscious chuckle and patted the top of her daughter’s head.

“No more Saturdays, then,” the halfling added.

She stumbled sideways when something crashed into her thigh. Bryl craned her neck up from where she’d thrown her arms around the half-drow’s waist and beamed up at her. “Thank you.”

“Uh, of course.” Cheyenne reached down to pat the girl’s back, nearly falling over again when Bryl gave her legs another tight squeeze. “I probably shouldn’t say that’s what I’m here for, but…” She spread her arms and shrugged.

“You’re what’s missing, I think,” the girl muttered.

“Oh, yeah? Missing from what?”

“Come, Bryl.” Yadje gently tapped her daughter’s back, and the girl released Cheyenne, still staring up at the halfling in awe. Her mother gently grabbed the girl’s small violet hand and pulled her back. “I think it’s time we head back home, yes?”

“Yes, Maji.” The girl bent to pick up the basket of Cheyenne’s things and cradled it in her arms.

R’mahr nodded. “Unless there’s anything else you wanted while we’re here, Cheyenne?”

“Just one more thing, actually.” The halfling tapped her fist against her belly and peered down the avenue toward the other end. “I’ll be right back, okay? I’m starving.”

She brushed past the other magicals moving about through the marketplace. Follow the trail of anything that smells normal.

Behind her, R’mahr stuck a finger in the air and took a step after her. “Ah, yes. I could show you—”

Yadje put her hand on his chest and pushed him back. “You are staying right here. We have leftovers at home.”

Chapter Sixty-Three

Cheyenne returned to the troll family and popped the last bite of that barbeque sausage on a stick into her mouth. R’mahr’s hopeful expression fell when he saw her hands were empty.

“So much better,” she said around her mouthful and sucked the crust of spices off her fingers. “I tried to be fast.”

“Too fast, maybe.” R’mahr chuckled when his wife nudged him in the ribs. “Shall we head back?”

“I’m ready when you are.”

“Excellent.” Tentatively, the troll man steered his family back through the crowd toward the far end of the avenue. “This has been an eye-opening experience for us, Cheyenne. Thank you for letting us tag along.”

“You’re the ones showing me around, so I should be thanking you.” The halfling tried to ignore the odd stares coming at her again from the vendors and customers who dared to look at her. A goblin woman veered out of her path and put a good six feet between them. That’s new.

“Cheyenne, we can’t tell you how wonderful it is to have you with us. Our very own phér móre, it feels like.” Yadje turned

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