Raya turned and walked down the passage without waiting for a response, and Joy followed close behind her. Alucent and Gryan fell into step after them, and together they descended the staircase, the wrought-iron railings were cool beneath Alucent's palm as he gripped them for support. His ribs ached with each step down, but the pain was manageable, dulled by the herbs and the Olgy fruit from the night before.
The lobby opened up before them when they reached the bottom, wide and grand with the giant water-pressured clock still turning at its center. Guests moved through the space in small groups, their voices low and refined, and the morning light filtered through the arched windows and caught on the brass fixtures.
They crossed to the reception counter, and the young woman in the wine-colored suit looked up with her polished smile.
"How may I assist you?"
"We would like to eat breakfast," Joy said. "Where is the restaurant?"
"Please follow me," the receptionist said, stepping out from behind the counter. "I will take you there."
She led them across the lobby, past the central clock, and through an arched doorway on the far side. A short corridor opened into a wide space beyond, and Alucent paused at the threshold to take it in.
The restaurant was spacious and luxurious, with high ceilings supported by copper pillars and arched windows that let in the morning light. Tables of dark polished wood were arranged throughout the room, each one set with brass candleholders and white linen napkins. The interior matched the hotel's aesthetic, all wrought iron and velvet and gleaming brass, and Alucent found himself admiring the craftsmanship once again.
Whoever designed this place knew what they were doing, the consistency is impressive.
The receptionist gestured toward the far left side of the room. "Please take that table. It has five chairs."
They walked to it and settled into their seats. The table was round, the chairs upholstered in deep emerald velvet, and Alucent lowered himself carefully into one of them. His ribs protested as he leaned back, he shifted his weight to find a position that did not make them ache.
The receptionist called over a server, a middle-aged man dressed in a tailcoat suit with polished brass buttons, and spoke to him in a low voice.
"These guests are staying in the Blum and Corp rooms," she said. "They are to be given whatever they want to eat. It is on the hotel."
The server nodded once. "Of course."
The receptionist turned back to them with a smile. "Enjoy your breakfast."
Then she walked away, returning to her position in the lobby, they were left with the server standing beside their table.
Before any of them could speak, the server produced a menu and held it out toward them. "What would you like for breakfast? We have many varieties of food that I am certain you will enjoy."
Raya was the first to reach for it, snatching it from his hand with an eagerness that made Alucent smile.
She opened the menu and began scanning the pages, her hazel eyes moving quickly across the text. After a moment, her brow furrowed, and she spoke softly enough that only the table could hear. "I am seeing unfamiliar meals here, but they all sound tasty and delicious."
Joy leaned slightly toward her. "Which do you think would suit us? Or do you want to read them out and let us choose based on their names?"
A soft laugh escaped her lips as she said it.
Alucent chuckled at that, then winced as his ribs reminded him not to laugh too hard. He pressed a hand to his side and waited for the twinge to pass.
Raya's face lit up with excitement. "Yes, yes, that sounds like a game. Let us do that instead."
Gryan smiled but said nothing, although Alucent could see the anticipation in his expression even though the mechanic was trying to hide it.
At that moment, a figure appeared in their line of sight, walking toward their table from across the restaurant. Alucent turned to look, and he recognized the dusty travel clothes and uncertain posture immediately.
It was John Irvilous. The driver.
Joy noticed him as well and raised a hand in greeting. "Ah, just in time. Join us for breakfast."
John stopped beside the empty fifth chair and hesitated for a moment, his eyes moving across the faces at the table. Then he sat down without saying a word.
Alucent watched him settle into the seat and felt a small frown form between his brows.
He is shy, he thought. Or is it the battle he witnessed that is making him behave this way? He did not talk much before, but now he does not want to converse at all. Not even a response to Scribe Joy?
He brushed the thought aside for now. He would find a way to make John feel more included as the meal went on.
Raya made a coughing sound, theatrical and deliberate, which made everyone at the table turned to look at her.
Alucent raised an eyebrow. "Do you need some water?"
Joy let out a soft laugh at that, and Gryan shook his head with a smile. "Please go ahead and read the menu out, Raya," Gryan said.
Raya straightened in her chair immediately, holding the menu up in front of her with both hands as though she were about to deliver a grand speech. She cleared her throat with exaggerated formality.
"Okay, my fellow friends, here it goes." She paused for effect. "The first on our menu is called Sousou Soup."
Alucent could not help himself. "That definitely sounds like soup."
Raya rolled her eyes at him. "Of course it is soup. It is in the name."
Gryan looked at Alucent and smiled, John glanced between them with confusion on his face, though he kept his calm and said nothing.
Joy waved a hand dismissively. "Continue, Raya. Do not mind Alucent."
Raya adjusted her posture and continued as though nothing had interrupted her. "The second one is called Tinus Baked Cake and Tea. The third is called Grandula Fries. The fourth is called Five Tastes. And finally, the fifth is called Gusi Besi."
She lowered the menu and looked around the table with delight on her face.
"So, which one sounds the most delicious?"
She turned to Joy first, clearly hoping she would answer before anyone else.
Joy took the hint and considered the question for a moment, her blue eyes thoughtful. "All of them sound unfamiliar to me, but not bad. I would choose Gusi Besi, because it sounds the most intriguing."
Raya tilted her head. "Hmm. I did not think that was what you would pick. But thinking about it now, you might be right."
Gryan cut in before anyone else could speak. "I choose Five Tastes." His voice was flat and definitive. "And nobody should ask why."
They all laughed at that, including John, though his laugh was subtle and barely audible.
Alucent leaned forward, ignoring the twinge in his ribs. "Of course, nobody should ask. If we do, our big friend here might choose something else and lose his five "tastes" of humor."
Another round of laughter erupted at the table. Gryan could not hold back and joined in, his shoulders shaking, and Joy laughed in a refined ladylike manner. John's laughter was louder this time, and Alucent felt something ease in his chest at the sound of it.
That's good, he is warming up.
Raya turned to John next, her expression expectant. "And you? Which one would you choose, based on how the names sound?"
John pondered for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. Then he spoke, his voice quiet but clear. "Grandula Fries."
Raya's face lit up immediately. "That is what I was going to choose! I thought Scribe Joy might pick it also, but she did not."
She shot a playful glance at Joy, who simply smiled and said nothing.
Gryan pointed at Alucent. "Okay, your turn. Let us see which one our comedian will choose." He leaned back in his chair. "Take the stage. Good thing today is Knotday."
Alucent opened his mouth to answer.
And then the word caught in his mind. Knotday.?
Something stirred in his memory. Knotday is the fifth day of the Senelean calendar.
More knowledge surfaced, rising from somewhere deep, overlapping with his own thoughts. Raya had told him about Fatespool once, the third day of the week, but he had not truly understood it at the time. Now the full picture was forming. This was not his memory, it was Alucent's.
Firstloom. Weavemark. Fatespool. Midveil. Knotday. Threadlight. Restweave.
Seven days in a week, they never changed. Firstloom to Restweave.
Hmm... I was going to ask someone about the date, was going to find a clever way to do it without raising suspicion. But fortunately, I do not need to now. I already know.
He sat there, lost in the revelation, and did not realize that the table had gone quiet until Raya's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Alucent? Your choice?"
He blinked. His mouth moved before his mind caught up.
"Grandula Fries."
Raya's voice rang out immediately. "Thank Goddess Anima!"
Her excitement was so genuine that Alucent realized what had happened. He had meant to say Tinus Baked Cake and Tea, but the word Grandula Fries had come out instead.
Ah, shit! That was Raya's choice. I accidentally agreed with her.
He decided to play along. There was no point in correcting himself now.
Raya waved the server over, and he approached with a polite incline of his head.
"We have chosen," she said. "Grandula Fries. For all five of us."
The server's face brightened. "Excellent. That is a very good dish. You will not regret choosing it."
He collected the menu and walked away toward the kitchen, disappearing through a swinging door at the far end of the restaurant.
They waited. The restaurant hummed with quiet conversation from other tables, and the smell of cooking food drifted through the air, rich and savory. Alucent watched John from the corner of his eye and noticed that the driver was sitting straighter now, his shoulders less tense than before.
After ten minutes, the server returned.
He carried a large tray balanced on one hand and set it down on a serving stand beside their table. Then he began distributing the plates, placing one in front of each of them with practiced efficiency.
The dish was beautiful. Golden-fried pieces of fish, meat, and another type of meat that resembled snail meat to alucent were arranged on each plate, their crusts crispy and glistening in the light. A rich red-brown sauce was drizzled over them, studded with fresh vegetables that added splashes of green and orange to the presentation.
Five plates, with five cups of tea. A bottle of red wine with five glasses.
The server placed the last plate in front of John, then stepped back with a small bow.
"Enjoy your meal."
He withdrew to a respectful distance.
For a moment, no one moved. They all stared at the food in front of them.
Then Raya picked up her fork. "I am not waiting any longer."
She speared a piece of fried fish and put it in her mouth, and that was all the encouragement the rest of them needed.
Alucent picked up his own fork and cut into a piece of the fried meat. The crust crackled under his knife, revealing tender flesh beneath. He dipped it in the sauce and took a bite.
The flavor was extraordinary. The meat was rich and savory, the crust perfectly crispy, and the sauce tasted of tomatoes but sweeter, almost sugary, with a depth that lingered on his tongue.
This is incredible, he thought, almost saying "Oh goddess Anima". Can you imagine I chose it by accident.
He took another bite, then another.
Around the table, the others were eating with equal enthusiasm. Gryan ate methodically, his expression one of deep satisfaction. Joy ate with small precise bites, her manners impeccable. Raya was already halfway through her plate, pausing only to make appreciative sounds. John ate quietly but steadily, a small smile on his face.
They discussed the meal as they ate, trading observations about the flavors and textures and how the wine complemented the sweetness of the sauce. The conversation flowed easily, and even John contributed a few quiet comments.
When the plates were empty and the wine bottle was half-finished, Joy set down her fork and looked at John.
"You will be staying with Alucent and Gryan in their room tonight," she said. "Is that acceptable?"
John nodded. "Yes, Lady Augusta. Thank you."
Alucent pushed back his chair and stood, moving carefully to avoid jarring his ribs.
"It is time for cloth shopping," he said.
Raya was on her feet before he finished speaking. "I could not agree more."
They all rose from the table, well-mannered and satisfied, and the server appeared to clear their plates. Joy thanked him with a gracious nod.
They walked back through the restaurant, past the other diners, and into the short corridor that led to the lobby. The giant clock still turned at the center of the space, its gears clicking in steady rhythm.
All five of them crossed the marble floor together and pushed through the massive glass doors of Nirvana's Steam.
The morning air hit Alucent's face as they stepped out onto Gauls Avenue, cool and fresh, and the city spread out before them, busy with people and carts and the hiss of steam from nearby pipes.