Page 88 of My Haven
“Both are extreme cases, I assure you,” Caiden said.
Kyrn spoke quickly. “He speaks truly, My Lady. The children I care for were not raised within a pillar city. Usually our children are treasures.”
“And the orphanage?” she asked.
“A deviation from how we normally live,” Caiden explained.
“We can do better,” she said.
He nodded. “And we will.”
She exchanged information with anyone willing to help and learn. When they walked out, she was feeling very good about her future project.
“Only you would think of exchanging food science with men who have been cooking longer than I’ve been alive,” Caiden said, chuckling to himself.
She froze in her tracks, pointing to her chest. “Was I just an asshole?”
He shook his head and pulled her close as they walked. “No, you impressed them and that my dearest, is an achievement in and of itself.”
She held the paper with their contact information close to her chest. “There’s no problem a good meal can’t solve.”
“Then let us get home and show Meryn why homemade chicken noodle soup is so good,” Caiden said, leading her back up toward the palace.
She nodded. Maybe she could help change this world, one meal at a time.
Chapter Twelve
Meryn sniffed the bowl. “It smells funny.”
Genevieve rolled her eyes. “It’s probably the ginger.”
“Do I like ginger?” the smaller woman asked, looking down at the bowl.
“I have no idea.”
Meryn sighed. “I’m not that hungry.”
“Just try it,” Genevieve cajoled. “The ginger you’re unsure of, will help your appetite.”
Meryn lifted her spoon and dipped out a bite.
Genevieve watched Meryn discover she liked homemade chicken noodle soup.
Meryn lifted the bowl with her other hand and was practically shoveling the chicken and noodles into her mouth. “Hmmmmm.”
Ryuu poured her a glass of water. “Thank you, for thinking of mydenka. I believe any other food would have been a bit difficult after this afternoon.”
“What happened this afternoon?” Aiden demanded, coming in through the back door, wiping off sweat from doing drills.
Meryn waved her spoon at him. “Got sick after meeting the Witches’ Council. But Genevieve made me Magic Soup, so now I’m feeling better.”
Aiden went to scoop her up and realized how sweaty he was. “You must like it if you’re calling it ‘magic’.”
“I hereby banish all canned soups from Merytopia!” Meryn exclaimed.
Pip giggled. “She’s feeling better.”
Aiden turned to face Ryuu. “Was it an attack?”
