Page 29 of Fear the Flames
“Any home is a castle with a queen inside.” I shrug, seeming unbothered.
“Very true,” Valia replies. “I hope you enjoy the feast we’ve prepared.”
“Anything is better than more deer and berries,” Cayden states dryly before brushing past the pair as if they’re no more than strangers and escorting us to our seats. He pulls my chair out and slides it in behind me. “Now, I have someone better for you to meet,” he murmurs while taking the chair next to me.
“That’s not much competition,” whispers a feminine voice beside me. The first thing I notice when I turn my head is a warm smile. “Saskia,” she extends a dark umber hand in my direction, and I shake it.
“Elowen.” I know they just announced me, but it feels better to introduce myself to someone I’ll be working with for the foreseeable future. I note the similarities between her and Ryder—their eyes are the same obsidian color, but Saskia has something warm about her. Maybe it’s her round cheeks that lift when she smiles.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, and it’s nice to see you home in one piece,” she leans forward to address Cayden, her long, midnight box braids falling over her shoulders.
“It’s nice to see you haven’t died of boredom while Ryder and I were gone.”
“The peace was a welcomed change.” She leans back in her chair, facing me again, “Even if it was a short-lived peace.”
“I can still hear you,” Cayden says into his chalice.
Saskia ignores him. “Was she rude to you?” She lowers her voice so only I can hear. It takes me a moment to realize she’s talking about Valia.
“Not exactly,” I answer truthfully. “Wait, do we not like her?” I glance in Valia’s direction, but my eyes catch Finnian’s in the chair next to hers. She chatters into his ear while he looks at me with pleading eyes. Ryder subtly rubs his temples like a headache is already forming.
“Oh, the boys are going to regret introducing us to each other.” Her shoulders shake with laughter. “She’s not a terrible person, but she’s the type of person that makes you feel like you chew toast wrong.” I visibly cringe but cover it up by taking a sip from the chalice in front of me. The wine is the perfect medium between sweet and tart.
“Do you like the wine, my lady?” Eagor asks across the table.
I nod my head. “Is it from around here?”
“We import it from the North,” Valia cuts in. “Do you have wine in Aestilian?”
I place my chalice back on the table and meet her stare. Does she think we have nothing more than dirt and sticks? “We do.”
“How interesting.” She places her chin in her hand.
“Do you have a tavern there?” Eagor asks, seeming earnest. I flash my eyes to Ailliard, who gives me a subtle nod to proceed. It’s not that I need Ailliard’s approval, but I don’t want to give out too many details. I’ve never navigated a court before, and it’s good to get a second opinion from someone who has.
“The tavern is one of our biggest buildings along the main road. The bartenders that own it make everything themselves. Their hard cider in the autumn is my favorite.” It’s a hot cinnamon-apple cider that warms you up from the inside out. I go to the tavern almost every other day in the autumn just to get a taste of it. Honestly, alcohol is the one thing we have in abundance, but alcohol and empty stomachs never mix well.
“It sounds established,” Eagor says, running a hand over his blonde stubble. He even seems impressed. A small sliver of hope wraps around my heart; maybe it won’t be so hard to get the treaty processed.
Valia lets out a loud giggle as servers enter the room, carrying silver trays of food. “It’s hard to imagine anestablishedkingdom that I’ve never seen.”
Cayden and Saskia both stiffen beside me, and Finnian shoots me a death glare over the table. It’s not directed at me, obviously, but I need to shut this down before it escalates. Arguing on the first night isn’t exactly the first impression I want to make. Everyone at the table can note the backhanded meaning of her statement. The sliver of hope snaps, turning into something ugly. I lift my chalice from the table again, pointing it in her direction.
“Then perhaps you need to broaden your mind,” I remark before taking a drink. Her cheeks redden, but her smile stays in place. At one point, my words were the only defense I had. When wielded properly, words have the power to cut someone down with more pain and precision than any sword.
I relax back into my seat while servers begin piling our plates with food; gravy-covered chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh vegetables, and bread with a glorious amount of butter. It’s the type of plate I would dream about when all I had to eat that day was an apple. The last month of winter is always the hardest, especially when the frost stays longer than usual. By then, the snow is piled so high that patrols can’t get out for raids or hunts, so we must make whatever food we have stretch for as long as we can.
I dip my chicken into the potatoes before bringing the fork to my mouth and fight to hold back a moan when the gravy dances along my tastebuds.Thisis how food is supposed to taste. “I would kiss your chef if I saw them.”
“You have a chef kink? Shall I don an apron over my armor?” Cayden asks after swallowing the food he was chewing.
“I have a mashed potato kink, and I’ll only accept the pinkest and frilliest of aprons.” I point my fork at him.
“You have my word, angel.” The corner of his mouth lifts.
“How long will it be before we can start working?” I ask them both, keeping the conversation low enough for only us to hear. I glance over the table, and I’m relieved to see Finnian and Ryder lost in their own conversation without Valia.
“What do you mean?” Saskia asks before taking a bite of bread.
