Page 29 of Beneath the Earth (Seven Wardens 3)

Smal disappeared into one of the tunnels and returned moments later with a steaming pot. She'd already decked the table in the centre of the cave and Macey sat down, hunger spreading through her stomach.

"Ella! Come eat!" Smal shouted, and Macey noticed a smaller bowl on the table, together with an intricately carved wooden spoon, half the size of her own. Cute.

The little kabouter girl came running into the cave, her hair tousled and specks of dirt on her face.

Smal sighed. "What did you do?"

Gisella shrugged. "Digging for earthworms. I thought James could do with a companion."

"James is her worm pet," Jared explained in a whisper. "Don't even ask."

“I wasn’t going to,” Macey muttered. Of all the things she’d ever imagined asking someone, earthworm relationships had never made the list. Maybe she should expand it to include such things now. That way she wouldn’t end up taken aback like this.

“I have answers!” Jerimiah called, rushing back into the room.

Macey perked up. Answers were always good. Hopefully these would be more satisfying than those Malan or any of the others had given her.

“Go on,” Jared prompted, taking a sip of his soup and slurping a little too much for Macey’s liking. She elbowed him gently and he shot her an apologetic look.

“Is there any meat in this?” she asked him under her breath. She didn’t want Smal to think she was rude, but she also didn’t feel all that great about potentially breaking her vegetarian diet. Not only did she not like the taste but she wasn’t all that convinced her stomach could deal with it.

“No,” Jared answered instantly. “The earth kabouters are vegetarian, like you.” He smiled at her, pure affection radiating off him.

“Great.” She beamed back and took a big spoonful of her soup. It was delicious, the perfect combination of salt, spices and vegetables. It was almost as good as the idea of waffles.

“What news is there?” Jared prompted after a moment.

“There’s a rumbling slightly to the east. Earthquakes mostly. I haven’t heard this first hand, but there’s allegedly been some eruptions from dormant volcanoes further south. It’s not from the kabouters though, so I don’t know the truth of it.”

“And it’s not just global warming?” Jared checked.

“I doubt it,” Jerimiah answered. “Of course, that’s what the humans are going to put it down to, but from what I’ve seen, that’s their answer for everything going wrong.”

Macey couldn’t bring herself to disagree. She didn’t think it was always the case, but she also didn’t want to argue with her new quasi father-in-law.

“What can we do about it?” she asked.

“There probably isn’t anything we can do,” Smal said sadly, rubbing her daughter’s back as she spoke. The little girl had started humming to herself as she doodled on a piece of paper, apparently ignoring her food. None of the adults seemed to care now, they were more focused on the matter at hand.

“There will be,” Jared countered. “Macey already defeated Self-Doubt.”

Her ears began to heat with embarrassment and she glanced away, unable to meet anyone’s gaze. How could she when the two kabouters were looking at her in such awe.

“That may be right, but I don’t think you’ll find the answers here,” Jerimiah said. “I think it’s time you go and see the kluddes.”

“Alright, let’s just have the waffles first,” Jared joked. “Then I’ll take her to the Meer.”

“Good thinking,” Smal said. “There isn’t any need to rush quite yet.” She grinned broadly.

They were finally going to get waffles. It had been so long, she’d started to doubt she’d ever get them. But it was all about to change.

They continued to eat their soup in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Probably those of Belgian pastries, warm and dripping in butter.

A loud rumble started beneath them and the earth around them began to shake. A stream of dust rained down from the ceiling and scattered itself around the table, even dropping into their soup.

“On second thoughts, it might be best you go now.” Jerimiah’s voice shook as he spoke.

Disappointment filled Macey. Mostly because she knew the kabouter was right. Waffles would have to come later. She had a world to sort out first.

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