Page 15 of Mountain of Dragons and Sacrifice

The next morning, I wandered to the breakfast room in time to help Phoebe with the cooking. Not that she needed a whole lot of help. The kitchen all but cleaned itself. This was the Fae Realm, after all. Even the clothes were magically altered and whisked into the wardrobes. Hence the blue dress that fit me as if made for me.

Apparently there were some courts in the Fae Realm where the food was provided already cooked. This particular mountain wasn’t ranked high enough in the Court of Stone to get such treatment, but the cooking was minimal.

After watching the parade of gnomes claim their bowls of porridge, I dished out my own bowl and sat next to Daphne once again.

She grinned at me between bites of her porridge. “Did you have a good day yesterday? It isn’t as scary as you thought, huh?”

That made me pause. No, it wasn’t as scary as I thought. I’d stuck by Phoebe’s side, likely getting underfoot. But she hadn’t acted like I’d been an imposition. Even the dragon had been strangely courteous during his nighttime visit, never stepping farther into my room than the doorway.

Luring me into a false sense of security while he tested me, surely.

“No.” I chewed down my bite of porridge, swallowing hard. “What did you do yesterday? I didn’t see you around.”

Perhaps I could learn more about what the dragon wanted of me by what he asked of his servants. I hadn’t had a chance yesterday to explore more than the passageway from my bedchamber to the kitchen.

“I have my own task.” Daphne looked away for a moment, that bubbly smile of hers fading for just a moment.

Well, that was mysterious.

Daphne hopped to her feet. “Come to think of it, I’d better get started.”

She strolled from the room, the laurel leaves in her hair rustling as she went.

That left me alone with Evander. Or, nearly alone since Phoebe was still puttering around the kitchen. The others had already eaten and left for wherever they went each day.

Evander gave a small nod in my direction. “I’d like to show you around more, now that you’ve had a chance to settle in. I have a task for you, if you’re up for it.”

“Task? What will I be doing?” I gripped the edge of the bench I was sitting on. When Evander said I have a task for you, he really meant the dragon had work for me.

It would be something awful, I just knew it.

“Each court in the Fae Realm produces something that is shared with the other courts in reciprocal agreements that bind the whole realm.” Evander clasped his hands behind his back, the motion pulling his blue tunic taut over his broad shoulders. “Some courts share food. Others fabric or clothing. Still others share knowledge or revelry. The Court of Stone mines precious metals, gems, and stone. This particular corner of the court mines for gemstones.”

“So…I’ll be mining.” That was an unexpected use for a sacrificed maiden. If they wanted miners, the dragon should have demanded strapping young men instead of tender young maidens. But what did I know?

“No, no, of course not.” Evander’s mouth curved into a smile. “The gnomes do the mining.”

Oh, that made far more sense. Those little guys would make excellent miners. Even with their hats pulled down over their eyes—did they even have eyes?—they hadn’t had any trouble navigating through the room to claim their breakfast.

“But the gnomes just mine and cut the gems. The gems still need the final polish and to be sorted into various cupboards for distribution all over the Fae Realm.” Evander gestured toward the door. “I’ll show you the way.”

Good, because I had no idea where I was going. I’d followed the sounds of voices to get this far.

Polishing gemstones didn’t sound so bad. I’d take that over a lot of other options. Still strange that the dragon felt the need to demand maidens from our village for such a task. Didn’t he have enough help here in the Fae Realm to put to hard labor?

Evander spun on his heel and strode from the room. I hopped to my feet and trotted to catch up, though I stayed a pace or two behind him. It didn’t feel right to fall into step with him. He was the dragon’s steward. I was merely a captive maiden.

He led the way out of the large gathering room and down the passageway I’d walked down earlier. I wasn’t sure, but I thought we turned down a different corridor than the one that led to my bedchamber.

“Is your room comfortable? Do you have everything you need?” Evander glanced at me as we walked, his mouth an intriguing line in his square jaw. Not quite a frown, not quite a smile. Something else entirely that I couldn’t read.

“Yes.” I squeaked out the answer hurriedly. I wasn’t sure what other answer he’d want.

Besides, what else did I need to be comfortable? I had a bed. I had warm clothes. I was being fed. What else was there?

Evander slowed his pace so that I had no choice but to walk next to him. “Please tell me if you need anything, and I’ll be happy to provide it.”

I seriously doubted it. But why not push my fortune a bit? “Anything?”

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