This Will Be Fun

by E.B. Asher

She’d then proceeded to wait nearly thirty minutes

Not sure if im supposed to be laughing but thhat is super quick

when Beatrice wished or needed to leave the small stone walls of the village, Elowen would have the finest stallion outside Beatrice’s door the next morning.

How she know oh whatever

She now wished she were trapped in the stone prison under the Southern Sea instead of here.

Actually that prison sounds boss

produced forth

hands enjoined,

It was utter agony, knowing people’s emotions but never knowing their intentions.

her heart-healing appointment

All anyone had to do was snap their fingers and accept the conjuration

perspicacity

convivially.

I don’t recognize it. It’s a horse.”

?

Not to mention all those throaty sighs you let out, forever displeased. Utterly distinct. Could only belong to you.” It bothered Elowen that Vandra had noticed all of that.

I dunno why vandra is into her elowen must be a dish

Or they’ve never seen a redhead with large breasts before. Their loss, frankly.” She winked.

How was it possible that Vandra had fooled them into believing the truth was a lie? Another facet of her impressive gift.

No this is a basic persuasion check

hand magicians skilled in cooking entire meals in a matter of seconds.

Y what does this add

It was strange to consider how much had changed for Vandra when Elowen’s own life had been effectively paused since saving the realm. If Elowen had to sum up the last ten years, it would take about three minutes. She suspected it would take the rest of her lifetime to learn all of Vandra’s history.

It struck Elowen then how Vandra was one of the only other people outside of the Three who knew Galwell at all.

We’re booked.”

Just one bed

line of people waiting to check in

the creaky, firelit lobby of the roadside inn.

Lobby???

Even rooms with”—she grimaced—“only one bed? We’ll

Lol

Sure, she would marry a boring nobleman to briefly raise her status, but she would never beg.

Editors note

an overpriced line of ale.

A line???

She felt trapped, with danger closing in. Terror flooded her system, sharper than when she’d once awoken in the night bound in enemy hands and with her allies beaten and unconscious.

People who would have once died for one another, who now didn’t know how much of each other even remained.

her eyes locked with Elowen’s. It was no glancing gaze. What she saw in the glare of her childhood confidant, once her dearest companion in the world, was— Utter loathing.

He deftly passed her the key. “Why don’t I catch up with the kid,” he said, “while you watch the assassin?” He was no longer playing the nobleman. He was doing something far worse—he was showing her real kindness.

Ok im getting more engaged

In the days following Galwell’s funeral, when the pain of what Beatrice had done was still fresh,

Mythria needed a hope they could hold on to, and Clare had stepped onto the stage so she did not have to.

the Farmount Falcons played inferior horseball to the Northwood Knights.

“We’re in the past,” he insisted with warning. “Like you and Elowen.” “We’re not in the past at all!” Vandra exclaimed.

Lol

knew something of the impossibility of forgetting, no matter how much misery entwined itself within the memories.

“Couldn’t forgive her either, though, I suppose,” he finally said. “Oh no, quite the contrary,” Vandra rejoined. “I forgave her easily.”

I like this convetsation

“After all, I could have reached out to her as well, and I did not. I refused to resent Elowen when I knew she could resent me in return.”

If Galwell could, impossibly, have known what his death would do to them . . . Clare knew the fallen hero, their dear friend, would have been heartbroken.

Mending her past might help her . . .” He measured his words. He did not want to promise what he could not deliver. “. . . return to herself,” he finished.

Not when she hated him the way she obviously did. He could entertain none of those caring questions about her. Even if he occasionally wanted to.

Lol

Putting honesty into words he usually only employed for performance. “It’s the right thing to do,” he mustered.

Trying to be g

“A road voyage,” she elaborated. “Road trek. Road trip. Road trip!”

but she could not condone Beatrice celebrating Clare’s pain. The comment silenced Beatrice with surprising effectiveness.

Beatrice would come over so they could watch Desires of the Night together. She was always a more observant audience member than Elowen, spending hours considering the thoughts behind everyone’s actions, whereas Elowen focused on emotions alone. It used to make Elowen feel like a less-intelligent fan. Beatrice could see things that Elowen never once even considered. It was Galwell who had helped Elowen get over her insecurity, chalking it up to their different magics. Elowen was ruled by the heart, Beatrice by the head. Now that Elowen had lived through some of the worst agonies life had to offer, she’d learned it had nothing to do with magic at all. Beatrice believed happiness had to be earned, and

This is really cool

to have our nails charmed

legends of the Winter War, where men fought with fearsome wights in endless darkness,

Not subtle

The wagon

carriage.

posters

simple summoning spells one could use for deliverypersons to carry the local delicacies right to whatever lodging one found.

spicesalted fried potatoes alongside.

It called for leadership. Something a chivalrous, heroic nobleman would display, whereas a knavish lout would only observe, dreaming of pie.

The region was Mythria’s dulcet preference of vacationers,

Dulcet