Page 26 of Smoke and Flame

“How did you find your bath?”

The voice behind Kai shocked her.Secured behind the closed bathroom door, she had believed she was alone.But it would take time for her to remember that these shifters moved around as if they hovered above the ground.It didn’t make much sense when she could see their feet touching the floor when they walked.Steeling herself to face Ninki, Kai took a deep breath, balled her hands into fists, hid them in the bulk of her clothes, and then turned.

Instead of Aodh’s lover, she saw an older woman walking past the dining table carrying a tray and headed toward her.The woman was tall but slightly built, unlike others she’d met here.Kai would not use the term compared to herself, but this woman was more petite than Aodh or even Ninki.Yet, she moved with long, confident strides, bringing her closer to Kai.

As she neared, Kai noticed the short cap of shockingly white hair surrounding an oval face, round chin, an intense aquiline nose, and a set of eyes under ebony brows filled with wisdom and a flicker of chartreuse flames.Even with the older woman’s curious stare as she took her in from head to covered toes, Kai still felt a sense of calm and warmth.

Kai relaxed her fists.

“It was very nice.I didn’t want to get out.”The water hadn’t even become tepid when she stepped out, but she didn’t want Aodh or his people to think she was lazy or entitled.Neither was she.So, she bathed and shampooed her hair as quickly as she could and got out.The ring her body had left in the tub from the dirt and grime she’d collected all the weeks, perhaps months, since she had washed anything, but her privates, face, and feet showed.

“You could have called out, and I would have reheated your water as often as needed.I’m Tana, Aodh’s attendant.”The older woman stopped before Kai at the bathroom door and smiled.

The woman’s smile was kind, causing Kai to return it.Even though the thought of this older shifter throwing a flame at the water Kai was soaking in made her shiver with trepidation.Hot water was lovely, skin as crispy as pictures of bacon she’d seen, not.

“I’m Kai, and it was perfect, thanks.”Gesturing toward the tub, abashed, Kai said, “I tried to clean up after myself, but I didn’t find any bleach.So, I wiped it out as best I could.”

The older woman held the large laden tray with ease in one hand and waved away Kai’s concerns.“Humans lean on too many unnatural chemical agents.I’ll handle it all with a touch of baking soda and vinegar.It’s my position and honor to keep the Mckenna’s suites in tip-top shape.Do not bother yourself.”

“Okay.But I’d like to be shown where the laundry area is so I can take care of my clothing.”

“All of that is not important for you to worry about now.I can see you’re ready to drop, and your stomach growling is a clear indicator you must eat.”Placing a gentle but firm hand on her back, Tana guided Kai toward the chair beside the foot of the bed.

Kai had hoped the woman hadn’t heard the rumbles of her stomach.Whatever was under the covered dishes on the tray smelled good, and she could only get a trace of the foreign scent.

Sitting in the chair, Kai argued, “I need to set my things down.”

“I’ll take care of them.”Tana placed the tray on the small table before gathering things.

“They’re so dirty.I don’t mind taking them to the basket in the closet.”Kai pointed.

“Nonsense.You have two jobs: eat and sleep, Mckenna said.And I am here to see you to that with no disturbance.”Tana went to the closet and returned quickly.

Kai watched her pour water into a glass from a pitcher before removing the steel dome from two dishes.The first was bread.The warm, fresh smell wafted up to her nostrils, and she felt a drop of drool seep out the corner of her mouth.Thankfully, she was quick to wipe it.Her mother had been an artisan at baking fresh bread for the family, something Kai had never mastered well.Then, she had run out of money to have it at all.

“I hope you like bread and roasted mutton and lamb.There’s also a mix of vegetables because we know the human body doesn’t produce enough vitamins.Tsk, tsk.”Tana whipped the second lid off with a flourish as she shook her head.

This time, Kai had to wipe her mouth to catch the track of saliva rolling down her chin.She just stared at the dishes.Her body began to tremble, and her eyes burned.Kai was too afraid to reach for the food, fearing it would disappear.

“Is something the matter with the food?Do you need me to get the cooks to prepare something else?”Tana stared at Kai with canary-yellow-flamed eyes.

Looking from the food to Tana and back again through a watery haze, Kai shook her head.“I’ve never had or seen meat outside of old photographs and videos.”

“Oh, dearie.”Speaking to Kai soothingly, Tana leaned down and covered one of Kai’s hands.“I am sorry you have been going without.”

Going without wasn’t causing the issue.It was that those in the Dispatch District didn’t get anything remotely close to meat or even meat byproducts.Before she was born, her parents, like others in their area underground, ran out of canned meats months before Kai was born.

Now, her gaze feasted on the smaller bowl filled with seared squash, zucchini, potatoes, and more.Kai realized all that they lacked in the district.She and Morlie survived on the same things as others who struggled to afford food at the marketplace: many leafy greens rolled tight and eaten raw or made into soups.Kale soup.Collard soup.Onion and tomato soup.But not much else.Rumors were rampant among the lower class that those in the Consumer Providence had meat and gardeners who grew many vegetables of old like Kai had now.But the district never got it.And those who did?It cost them—more than a month’s rent.

Kai felt speechless.She wasn’t sure how to put her experience into words that the kind older female could understand.

As if sensing the emotions twisting Kai up inside, Tana rubbed over her shoulder and made soft sounds.“You’re here now.Eat up and rest.”

The gentle touch made the emotions rise into her throat, and Kai felt relieved when Tana walked away toward the closet.

Swallowing hard to push down her emotions, Kai began to eat.Her first forkful was the vegetables.She was too nervous to introduce the meat to her body right off.She wasn’t sure how her system would react.The vegetables practically made her moan; they were firm, with a crunch but soft enough to chew without a problem, and seasoned well.However, she couldn’t get out any sound because she was too busy shoveling forkful after forkful into her mouth.The hunger she’d lived with for so long wanted to reject the food, and for a brief moment, she felt nauseated.However, she refused to let it stop her from eating.Soon, that sick feeling turned into pure blissful satisfaction.

Gobbling down the food in such a greedy fashion had not been how her parents taught her, but they weren’t here.Nor did they have to endure the harsh reality of the world above ground.Not allowing herself to feel shame about how she conquered her appetite, Kai picked up the thick slice of bread and took two big bites.

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