Page 121 of To Ashes and Dust
44
CASSIE
Rest seemed to have dulled the sharp pain left in the wake of Lee’s death. That, or Damien had perfected the art of masking over his centuries of life, of burying that grief so deep, it couldn’t reach the surface. I knew all too well how to mask the pain, the sadness, and it only hurt more to know it was what he was likely doing.
“How about I cook breakfast this time,Mitera,” Damien said, walking up behind Ethel as she worked away at the stove.
“If ah dae that, then ah’d be oot o’ work, Lord Damien. Where dae ye expect me tae find work at seventy-four?”
“Nonsense. It’s my treat. You make us breakfast every morning. It’s time someone made you breakfast for once.” Damien slipped in, taking the spatula from her, and the little old woman huffed at him, reaching for the spatula as he held it just out of her reach. He chuckled, and it was the most wonderful sound.
I smiled as I watched them from the nearby table, my heart swelling as I rested my chin on my hand, looking up from the book I’d been reading. Ethel finally gave up and took a seat at the table. The look of irritation melted into one of adoration as she watched him cook. I slid my bookmark into place and rose from my seat.
“No’ ye too,” she groaned.
“I can’t sit back and watch Damien cook for you by himself. I want to help too.” I grinned at her as I walked over to him. “You do so much for us.”
“I promise, I’m perfectly capable of making pancakes by myself,” Damien said over his shoulder as I came to a stop at the counter.
I snickered. “You’ll have to show me your flipping skills then, Lord of Pancakes.”
A low laugh slipped from his throat as he spread butter over the pan.
The front door opened as if on cue, and a thunder of feet echoed down the hall. The brothers of The Order loved interrupting quiet mornings, but these chaotic moments were ones I cherished the most. Barrett was the first to appear, his blond brows scrunching in confusion as he caught sight of Damien at the stove instead of Ethel.
“Good morning,” I chirped with a smile as Vincent, Zephyr, and Thalia entered close behind him. Barrett approached Damien without saying a word, and I frowned.
“I was gonna greetMiterawith a kiss for cooking breakfast, but I guess you’ll do,” he said, and laid one on Damien’s cheek. Damien elbowed him in the gut and Barrett grunted.
The others burst into laughter as Barrett recoiled with a throaty laugh, tossing me a wink. I rolled my eyes at him before turning back to the counter, grabbing the mixing bowl of batter.
“You got the morning off,Mitera?” Thalia asked, leaning in to place a tender kiss to Ethel’s cheek. Ethel smiled warmly as she cupped Thalia’s face and returned the gesture.
“Damien decided he wanted tae cook breakfast today,” she responded with a woeful tone. “Ah think mah days ‘ere might be numbered.”
I giggled at her dramatic display as Damien ladled batter into the pan, the sweet, buttery scent filling the air.
“Ah hear thir’s a matin’ ceremony tae be planned,” she said, turning to smile at Zephyr as he eased into an empty chair.
Zephyr smiled, almost bashfully. “Yeah, in a month. We’re already laying out the details.”
I perked up, excitement blossoming in my chest. “A month? Really?”
Zephyr nodded, his gaze warming as he looked to me. “Calista actually wanted me to ask you if you’d do her the honor of being her attending maiden.”
Attending maiden? Was that like a bridesmaid? “I don’t know what that is, but I’d be honored!”
His eyes lit up, and I caught a glimpse of Damien briefly smiling toward me before returning his attention to the frying pan, where the creamy surface of his first pancake was beginning to bubble and set.
“Perhaps it willny be long after ‘at Vincent and Anna’s babe will hev a playmate,” Ethel said, sliding Zephyr a knowing smile.
God, I’d love to see that. Would that make me an aunt? My chest swelled at the thought. What would they look like? I knew any child of Zephyr and Calista’s would be beautiful.
“Whatcha readin’, spitfire?” I stiffened as Barrett picked up the book I’d been reading. Oh God, no. Don’t—
He flipped through the pages, stopping somewhere in the middle, and my cheeks heated, praying he didn’t happen to flip to any of thescenes. I rushed over to take the book from him. Before I could reach him, he lifted his eyes to me, a teasing grin on his face. “Spitfire.”
I snatched the book from him.
