Page 11 of The Night Prince 6

“Ah, yes, I… I don’t… uhm, my money…” Haera found herself flushing hotly. “I’m so sorry I had funds, but they–”

“She didn’t even bring money? Good gods, these Aravae,” someone muttered.

Haera’s face flushed.

“It’s your first time here, yes?” Cara asked.

“Yes, I–I–”

“Then the cup is on the house,” Cara said kindly.

Haera blinked at her. She was quite used to people giving her things in Nhamashel. Or rather she simply took things in Nhamashel. But this was different.

“Oh, I couldn’t–”

“Of course, you can. It looks like a table has opened up right behind you,” Cara said and gestured with her chin towards a clearing table.

“I will pay you back for this,” Haera promised.

“How about if you share a story with me?” Cara asked. “I’m about to take a break.”

Haera lifted an eyebrow. This woman wanted information. Clever. She might be kind, but she also saw an opportunity. Haera could understand this. She gave a brief nod.

“I would like that,” Haera said and headed to the table.

Soon, Cara joined her with a mug with a strange animal’s face on it. Her drink mirrored Haera’s own. Haera took a sip. Creamy, nutty, sweet with a hint of bitterness.

Delicious.

She drank down half of it and felt her veins sizzle. She let out a delighted laugh. This must be the effect of caffeine that Cara had mentioned. She met the young woman’s blue-eyed gaze over the two-top table.

“You like it?” Cara asked.

“Like it? Oh, yes, most definitely,” Haera answered. “I can see why that fairy wanted to bathe in it. I might want to as well!”

Cara grinned. “I let her hang out in the pot while we’re washing up.”

Haera snorted. “A customer for life.”

“She’s already bequeathed to me all her worldly possessions so I’m not quite sure what that’s worth,” Cara chuckled.

Haera suddenly connected the name of the cafe with the young woman before her. “You are the Cara of Cara’s Place?”

A proud nod. “That I am.”

“Well, I am honored to have been served by the proprietress.” Haera bowed her head. Her long braid fell across her shoulder. It was so strange seeing it as a dark brown now rather than silvery white.

Cara waved away the compliment. “I haven’t seen you around before. What’s your name?”

Alarm flared through Haera at the question, but it was not because she was sensing anything underhanded about Cara. Dealing in information in Nhamashel was always fraught. But this could be just a friendly conversation. Or not. She’d find out.

“I haven’t been here long. My name is Haera,” she answered.

Cara nodded and, clearly, she was filing away that information. “We don’t have as many Aravae as our customers as other species. So I’m always curious about a new face.”

“It is always best to know who is in your establishment,” Haera agreed as she took another greedy sip of coffee. She was soon going to be out so she had to ration herself.

Damn Rhalyf. He must have stolen the money back from me. Otherwise I would have been able to get at least one more cup!