The server stands by Han’s shoulder, waiting. Perhaps she feels the waves of crackling heat blossoming off the highlander. Maybe she hears the creak of a table, suffering in her white-knuckle grip. To her credit, she still waits.

“Orchid oolong, use 3 grams leaf to 236 mL of water. Awaken the leaves by rinsing them with near-boiling water first, then infuse them in fully boiled water for one and a half minutes. Steep a second cup for 3. I’ll take both." She jerked her head to Petony. “Her tab.”

Anybody else want to cut in with any more stupid questions? No? Good.

“While we’re in a sharing mood: I’ve been out here, hunting down some [i]wilted[/i] creep who likes dark cloaks, big straw hats, and kidnapping priestesses with demon magic, and the only damn clue I have is a stupid coin she left behind. Which would be plenty, if I had one [i]thorned[/i] minute to get me a divination done. Which I can’t get because [i]you’re[/i] second-guessing the damn Witch telling you you’ve got fairy problems, like you’d live anywhere close to a daisy-brained clue what she’s talking about, because you’re sore your tournament got called off. Oh, I’m sorry, it wasn’t even your tournament in the first place. Why the [i]hells[/i] are we talking with you anyway?!”

She towers over the seated company, her chair long past able to contain her.

“Go drink your stupid tea and quit wasting our time. [i]King’s Crown[/i], maybe then we’d get something done around here.”

[Han displays instense emotions society would rather she didn’t. Her Feral is now at 1.]