Why me?

The moment Syryn arrived home, he noticed the glaringly absent form of a gold idol from their dining table.

"Where is Goldie?" He asked Alka.

"Goldie?" The plant mage turned around with a tong in hand.

Syryn gestured to the empty spot where his monkey had been sitting not many hours ago. 

"Oooh that," Alka replied. "Riha is using it as a paperweight. He said it was bad luck to keep a fertility idol in the kitchen."

"Did he need a paperweight?" Syryn asked. "Should I buy him one?" Ever since the mage had realised how much he'd neglected the selkie, Syryn had been trying to think up ideas for Riha's entertainment.

"Calm down, Syryn. I need help with the shallots if you aren't too busy right now."

The mage washed his hands and got to chopping the shallots while Alka boiled a whole chicken.

"By the way, Rowan has returned the pot to me, with the corpse plant in it. What did you tell him to convince this change of mind?" Alka asked.