Page 46 of Pawns of Fate
“I cast an invisibility spell on it. The spell will draw mana from this crystal instead of me.” Lyla tapped a finger on her palm where the spell had appeared. “I still have to host the spell, or I’d lose control of it.”
“Well, that’s fine then,” Rose said. Most of her frustration had turned into curiosity. Spellbound magic fascinated her, and it behaved so differently from her own aural magic.
It was more useful, too. Rose recalled the ogre attack and her inability to help with that or the twiddletoads. Her heart grew heavy.
Ava let out a loud yawn. “Why don’t we go upstairs and see the bedrooms? I think this place might be big enough that we each get our own.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Rose replied, then trudged up the stairs.
The smell ofbaking bread gently woke Rose from her slumber. She blinked her bleary eyes open, needing some time to adjust to the light pouring in the window and the faint sounds of flapping wings and cawing crows. Everything around her looked so different in the daylight.
The mattress that the Ojoh had provided her with was comfortable. Certainly not as comfortable as Nicholas’s bed, but far more than the blankets and dirt she’d been sleeping on while they’d spent half a week traveling through mountainous Onanish and then through the desert. She stretched and continued to survey the room.
The walls and floor were made of light brown clay. Rich, jewel-toned blankets covered the bed. A small desk and vanity sat along the opposite wall, and a few small cacti in brightly painted pots perched on the windowsill. It was a pleasant space, more pleasant than most places she’d stayed at while serving as collateral.
The smell of bread mixed with the tantalizing aroma of cured meats. Her stomach grumbled. Rose hopped out of bed and hastily prepared herself for the day.
“How many slices of cheese do you want with your breakfast?” Ava asked as Rose wandered into the kitchen.
She almost lost control of her aura when Ava mentionedcheese. “Three would be a good start.”
Ava served her a plate of freshly baked bread, cured meats, and, of course, cheese.
“You’ve been up for a while…” Rose motioned to the lovely breakfast and the dough Ava was kneading.
“Preparing food takes my mind off things. I couldn’t sleep a wink.”
Rose looked at the dark circles under her sister-in-law’s eyes and hoped that she’d be able to ease Ava’s worries enough that they weren’t still there by the end of their stay.
Lyla walked into the kitchen, and Ava served her a plate. The mage fidgeted with her bonnet and itched at the long sleeves of her uniform.
“Is that new?” Rose asked. The maid uniforms at Castle Sharp had three-quarter sleeves and a lower neckline. Lyla’s dress had a turtleneck, long sleeves, and a bonnet. She was covered from head to toe.
“Are you going to wear that the whole time we’re here?” Ava asked. “It looks uncomfortable and hot.”
“Yes,” Lyla replied flatly. She put on gloves, fully covering any spell runes lingering on her body. “The bonnet isn’t so bad. It keeps the sun out of my face.”
Rose felt a pang of guilt about Lyla having to cover up so much, but there wasn’t much to be done. Nicholas had hired her to guard them, and this was the easiest way to ensure that Lyla could stay close.
“We’re about to have company,” Lyla announced, derailing any further questions from Ava. Questions that their hostsshould not overhear.
True to Lyla’s prediction, Depaerth knocked on the door, then let himself into the house.
“Good morning.” He surveyed the house, eyes landing on the kitchen. He inhaled deeply. “You weren’t lying about being able to cook.”
Ava responded with a small ‘hmph’. Rose attempted to smooth things over by offering Depaerth a plate of food.
“I have already eaten breakfast, thank you, Princess Rose.” He attempted a bow in Rose’s direction.
“I’m not a princess, Depaerth. You don’t have to use our titles if it makes you uncomfortable.”
He looked relieved and said, “When you have finished breaking your fast, the head elder has asked me to show you around the city.”
“They can only go if I can accompany them,” Lyla interjected.
“That should be fine,” Depaerth replied, confusion on his face. “Do maids normally accompany noblewomen?”
“Yes,” Ava and Rose responded at the same time.
