“Well, I think we can safely assume the alien did not find this place,” he said, holstering his pistol.
“No, but it looks like every rodent known to monsters has,” Mr. Gryphon remarked with distaste.
Chapter 15
Two hours later, Nali sat in a rocking chair and eased it back and forth in a calming rhythm. Ashure had repaired the rocker with a simple fix-it spell, making it as good as new. A fire, created by magic, burned in the fireplace. Asahi sat next to her in a sturdy chair he had found when they cleaned up the hut. Ashure questioned Mr. Gryphon at the table. The pirate was eager to learn about the golden lion’s abilities. All of them, except Mr. Gryphon, had steaming meals in front of them, thanks to Asahi’s travel food packets.
As Nali slowly stirred and scooped up a spoonful of chicken and dumplings from the pouch in her hand, she casually remarked, “You know that Ashure is trying to decide if it is worth the trouble to steal Mr. Gryphon from you, don’t you?”
He chuckled and looked over his shoulder. “I suspected, though with Mr. Gryphon’s caustic personality, he’d probably return the dagger just as quickly,” he replied.
He turned back and smiled at her when she softly moaned with pleasure at the taste of the meal, not bothering to hide her enjoyment as she savored the burst of flavors. She hadn’t realized that she was famished until the warmth of the concoction hit her empty stomach.
“What is this food called again?” she asked, holding up the pouch in her hand.
“An MRE, Meals Ready-to-Eat. They’re not the same level of quality as the food from the Inn, but they are edible,” he replied.
“I think they are delicious,” she responded with a sigh.
They both looked up at the roof when a flash of lightning lit up the room, followed by the rumble of thunder. Ashure had been right—they were in for a storm. She hoped the fix-it spell Ashure had used on the roof lasted through the night, or they were all going to be cold and wet.
“Ah, only one thing is better than a magnificent storm,” Ashure called from behind them.
“What’s that?” Nali inquired.
“Dreams of being in my bed with Tonya in my arms,” he replied.
“You wouldn’t have to dream about it if you hadn’t followed me,” she pointed out to him.
Ashure pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’m where I should be. Besides, you don’t honestly think I’d let you two have all the fun, now do you?” he teased before straightening and releasing an enormous yawn. “I’m tired. The Golden Dagger has volunteered to guard the hut while we rest.”
“The Golden Dagger,” Asahi repeated as he raised an eyebrow at Mr. Gryphon. “How many names do you have?”
“I get more all the time,” Mr. Gryphon said with a wink.
Ashure grinned. “Yes. He mentioned ‘Mr. Gryphon’ was the most boring of the bunch,” he teased. “I wonder who could have named him so?”
Nali smothered her laughter when she saw the pained expression on Asahi’s face. She didn’t know who was more annoying, the enchanted dagger or Ashure.
With a grandiose wave of his hand, Ashure called forth a hammock, complete with a frame, thick blankets, and a pillow. Nali smiled. If there was one thing she knew about Ashure, it was that he never traveled unprepared, and he liked his creature comforts.
“I’m afraid I can’t give you anything as elaborate as Ashure’s hammock to sleep on,” Asahi ruefully commented.
She laughed. “I have a spell or two of my own. Besides, a hammock for one isn’t as nice as it looks,” she said. “Tell me about yourself and your grandfather.”
He gave her a startled look, then relaxed in his chair, silently staring into the flames. She could see that he was thinking. She continued eating while she waited for him to respond.
“There isn’t much to tell—at least about me. I never knew my mother. From the few arguments I overheard, she was a student at the same university my father was attending. She and my father had an affair. Afraid her parents would disown her, she hid her pregnancy from them, had me, dropped me at my father’s apartment, and promptly returned to Japan. Several years ago, I discovered she married an affluent older man, had a son, and was content with her life. We met once. She asked that I respect her wish to live separate lives. She does not want me to contact her again. My father was—” He paused and shrugged. “My father wasn’t interested in being a father. He liked beautiful women, fast cars, and being anywhere that was away from home. He resented the expectations that came with being a good, dependable son and father. I know that deeply wounded my grandmother. After—after Aiko’s disappearance, my grandmother doted on my father—giving him everything he wanted. Unfortunately, it was never enough and it was not always good for him.”
Nali leaned over and laid her hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry your father could not appreciate what he had in front of him,” she said.
He shook his head. “My father was a weak and selfish man, but he did one thing right. He took me to my grandmother. She died when I was seven—the same day that Aiko returned. Within a week, I lost both my grandmother and father, and gained a grandfather. Aiko—was a kind man, gentle and wise. I can’t imagine what it must have been like when he first arrived in your world. I, at least, had the benefit of his knowledge to guide me, while he… while he found
