Oh, feeding into that fear is still something that Rue struggles to fully accept, but from Mercy especially? Something about a little taste of her fear sends shivers up the owlbear's spine.

Thank goodness for Rue's unflappable composure.

"I certainly did!" But just like Mercy, there's no horror in Rue's tone, just a posh chuckle at the very thought. "I suppose there's no pleasing everyone, though I thought including the new sweets shop was a perfect idea. Besides, I saw more than one person going back for more."