“What kind of flowers do you visually like?” Vonam Asked.
“Flowers?” Lith furrowed his brows in confusion.
“I apologize, but Camellias don’t exist so this table is the only one with no matching flowers. We give our customers an ample selection to choose from.”
“Why visually? Isn’t the smell important as well?” As a Fae, Ryka considered herself an expert on the matter but the glare Vonam threw her made the Titania feel like dirt under a shoe.
“No, it’s not.” He replied with ill-concealed annoyance. “How can Magus Verhen appreciate the delicate flavor of his meal with his nose stuffed with the smell of flowers? It would ruin his dining experience.”
The concierge pointed at a small button linked to a weak darkness spell that would cancel the scent of flowers at the beginning of the meal. Then he handed Lith a single menu.
“They are my guests. I’ll pay for them. Answer their questions but don’t bother me. I’m here only for the food.” Lith said.
“With all due respect, Magus Verhen, how do you know these people?” Vonam handed three more menus, cringing at their presence but not at the money they would bring in.
“Constable Strider is a colleague of my wife.” Lith’s gaze turned cold as he created plausible deniability. “He knew I was in Xaanx for business and called in a favor. Why? Do you have something against Royal Constables?”
“Gods, no! It’s the noblest of jobs. May the heavens strike me if I lie.” Luckily for him, Mogar didn’t listen to just anyone so nothing happened.
As everyone placed their order, Solus looked at the concierge in annoyance.
“Excuse me, do you really not know who I am?” She asked while moving her finger from Lith to herself
“I’m sorry, no. I’m sure you’ll become a great Constable. The gods know if the Kingdom needs more people like you.” He said with the loving smile of an uncle.
While they waited for the food, Vonam kept them company, allowing Strider and Ryka to ask their questions.
“Mage Phanil? Of course, I know her.” This time he recognized the hologram with just one glance. “I never forget an esteemed guest. She came here for the first time three days ago and left just yesterday.
“She was our guest during her stay in Xaanx and dined at our restaurant for every meal.”
“Could we see her room, please? We only need a minute. It’s a minor investigation but being thorough would make us look good in front of our boss.” Ryka used every bit of her feminine charms but Vonam was immune to it.
“Well, depends.” He said with a pensive look on his face. “Revealing the matters of a past client without a warrant goes against the hotel policy but I have no reason to refuse showing a room to another potential client.”
He said while staring intently at Lith who was staring with equal focus at the beer list.
“I’ll take a Maekosh Honey Dryad.” He said, referring to an ale named after the peculiar color it turned to after the fermentation. “Why are looking at me?”
After several nudges and Vonam repeated his offer, Lith agreed and so did the concierge.
“Do you have any other questions?” He looked and sounded like a different person after acknowledging that they were Kamila’s colleagues and that Constables were the salt of Mogar.
“No, we’ll call you if something comes to mind.” Strider grunted, annoyed by the blatant disparity of treatment.
He was an Elder of the Council and quite wealthy at that, but he hadn’t considered adding such detail while creating his cover identity.
“Just ring the bell if you need anything.” Vonam pointed at a small crystal at the center of the table. “It will summon a member of the staff.”
“What are you thinking?” Solus asked, noticing the serious look on his face.
“I’m thinking about what flowers we should have them bring here. I know what I want for Kami, but for these guys?” He pointed at Ryka and Strider. “No clue. Also, no offense.”
“None taken.” The Titania chuckled. “Guess we’ll take a buddy-buddy option since this has nothing romantic.”
“I’m more interested in knowing why you are acting so aloof, Lith.” Strider pretended not to notice Ryka’s sighing. “You could have helped us with the room issue instead of forcing us to drag you into it.”
“Are you kidding me?” Lith said with a snort. “Were I to do that, that gossip of a concierge would have told anyone willing to listen to him that there is a case so urgent that it needs the intervention of the Supreme Magus.
“He would have done it to stress out how the Crystal Cauldron helped me and how much I appreciated their hospitality, but in the end, it would have compromised the secrecy of our investigation.
“This way, instead, you look like a scrub trying to impress his boss on a minor case and the only interesting part of the story is that you know me through Kami. When Vonam spins this story, because he will, he won’t mention any of you guys or what you are doing.
“Only that I came here and I’m looking to book a room for a romantic evening with my wife. It’s all about marketing.”
“Damn, when you put it like that, it’s a brilliant move.” The Zouwu massaged his chin. “I’m sorry for doubting you. I guess I need to spend more time with humans and less with Awakened.
“When I interact with our kind, I never have to worry about this kind of bullshit.”
Solus gave him a bright smile, glad he had said “our kind”. There was no trace of aggression or prejudice in Strider’s manners, just a grumpy attitude that reminded her of Lith and made Solus chuckle.
When the appetizers arrived, Ryka ordered Thunderbells for the centerpiece. It was a white bellflower with angular yellow streaks that resembled a bolt of lightning, hence the name.
“You heard the lady.” Vonam snapped his fingers at a busboy in a livery who ran like the wind. “Do you mind if I take a celebratory picture of this event, Magus Verhen? We’ll post it on the Web to promote the Crystal Cauldron. With your permission, of course.”
“Sure.” Lith nodded.
He was expecting the request and had a counter move ready.
After the group picture, he offered to take one alone with Vonam in front of the restaurant’s sign. It would make it look like the concierge was the one who knew Lith and establish Vonam a signature character of the Cauldron, boosting the concierge’s status.
“Gods, I’m not worthy.” Vonam cried thinking about the raise he would receive and that firing him without an iron-clad reason had just become nigh impossible.
He would be associated with the image of the establishment, giving him influence in the internal power struggles.
“Just do me a favor. Don’t publish anything for a couple of days.” Lith said. “I want to surprise my missus and if she sees the photos, she’ll understand I’m going to bring her here.”
“Yes, yes!” The concierge gave Lith a series of rapid deep bows that reminded Solus of the drinking bird toy from Earth.
