Serial Story: Under His Wing, Part 15
This story is presented weekly in draft (unedited) form. Enjoy!
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 |
Dunning Manor, Book 1
Under His Wing
Part 15
Katie slept late the next day, and spent the rest of her time in the kitchen, doing her best to burn, freeze, contaminate or otherwise ruin every piece of potentially edible food she was given. By the time her sorry attempts at dinner were finally laid out on the massive table in the dining room, she was exhausted, frustrated and pretty sure that letting Peter roast her on a spit would be preferable to stepping foot inside a kitchen for anything other than wine ever again.
Wilting into her chair, she sipped at her goblet of mead while waiting for Thomas, fighting to keep her eyes open in the calm, dimly-lit room.
She must have dozed off at some point, because the next thing she knew, someone was tapping her shoulder and cool liquid was soaking through the jeans Zariah had given her to wear, a thin stream running across her thigh.
Jolting upright, she blinked up at Thomas’s amused expression as he reached out to steady the goblet in her hand.
“I’m sorry to wake you,” he said, a sultry tone in his voice that caught her interest far more than it should. “But we need to eat, so we can discuss the plan and begin our journey.”
“It’s okay,” she said, trying to shake off the longing to close her eyes just for a little while longer. “Sorry I fell asleep. I must have been more tired than I thought.”
She righted herself in the chair, wincing at a sore spot across the left side of her ribs where she’d leaned into the chair arm. Setting the goblet on the table, she glanced at the platters, expecting her inedible dregs to have been transformed into a feast for the senses as it had the two nights before.
Her humiliation was complete when she noted that everything was exactly as it had been when she set it down. Dull gray potatoes, sliced beef that was either crispy black on the outside or bloody on the inside and both, in some cases, though she wasn’t quite sure how, limp overcooked carrots and broccoli, and a bowl of pudding the cook had assured her would set up later.
It hadn’t.
“We can’t eat this,” she said, gesturing at the food. “I don’t understand. Why isn’t the magic working?”
He sat down, reaching for his trencher as she watched in horror.
“Performing a task you don’t do well was your personal sacrifice. It proves your humility and determination. Now I must accept that sacrifice in its raw form to complete the contract for aid between us.”
Katie wrinkled her nose. “I’m really sorry. Maybe I could try again...”
Thomas shook his head and calmly chewed a piece of meat, holding up one finger. She waited as he ate one bite of every frightful dish she’d screwed up, knowing she couldn’t do it though her stomach was starting to complain. Loudly.
He finished the last bite as she watched, and then pointed to the table. She sighed in relief as she watched her ugly dishes transform into works of edible art.
“So that’s it?” she said, helping herself quickly lest everything change back. “Sacrifice accepted, we’re good to go?”
He chuckled, filling his own plate as well. “Yes. As soon as we finish here, we’ll travel to your home, and vanquish your enemy there.”
She frowned. “Why can’t we just vanquish him out in the woods? Why does it have to be at my house? My neighbors might not appreciate that.”
“Eat,” Thomas said. “I’ll explain what you need to know as we travel, but we should leave soon.”
Enjoy
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 |
Dunning Manor, Book 1
Under His Wing
Part 15
Katie slept late the next day, and spent the rest of her time in the kitchen, doing her best to burn, freeze, contaminate or otherwise ruin every piece of potentially edible food she was given. By the time her sorry attempts at dinner were finally laid out on the massive table in the dining room, she was exhausted, frustrated and pretty sure that letting Peter roast her on a spit would be preferable to stepping foot inside a kitchen for anything other than wine ever again.
Wilting into her chair, she sipped at her goblet of mead while waiting for Thomas, fighting to keep her eyes open in the calm, dimly-lit room.
She must have dozed off at some point, because the next thing she knew, someone was tapping her shoulder and cool liquid was soaking through the jeans Zariah had given her to wear, a thin stream running across her thigh.
Jolting upright, she blinked up at Thomas’s amused expression as he reached out to steady the goblet in her hand.
“I’m sorry to wake you,” he said, a sultry tone in his voice that caught her interest far more than it should. “But we need to eat, so we can discuss the plan and begin our journey.”
“It’s okay,” she said, trying to shake off the longing to close her eyes just for a little while longer. “Sorry I fell asleep. I must have been more tired than I thought.”
She righted herself in the chair, wincing at a sore spot across the left side of her ribs where she’d leaned into the chair arm. Setting the goblet on the table, she glanced at the platters, expecting her inedible dregs to have been transformed into a feast for the senses as it had the two nights before.
Her humiliation was complete when she noted that everything was exactly as it had been when she set it down. Dull gray potatoes, sliced beef that was either crispy black on the outside or bloody on the inside and both, in some cases, though she wasn’t quite sure how, limp overcooked carrots and broccoli, and a bowl of pudding the cook had assured her would set up later.
It hadn’t.
“We can’t eat this,” she said, gesturing at the food. “I don’t understand. Why isn’t the magic working?”
He sat down, reaching for his trencher as she watched in horror.
“Performing a task you don’t do well was your personal sacrifice. It proves your humility and determination. Now I must accept that sacrifice in its raw form to complete the contract for aid between us.”
Katie wrinkled her nose. “I’m really sorry. Maybe I could try again...”
Thomas shook his head and calmly chewed a piece of meat, holding up one finger. She waited as he ate one bite of every frightful dish she’d screwed up, knowing she couldn’t do it though her stomach was starting to complain. Loudly.
He finished the last bite as she watched, and then pointed to the table. She sighed in relief as she watched her ugly dishes transform into works of edible art.
“So that’s it?” she said, helping herself quickly lest everything change back. “Sacrifice accepted, we’re good to go?”
He chuckled, filling his own plate as well. “Yes. As soon as we finish here, we’ll travel to your home, and vanquish your enemy there.”
She frowned. “Why can’t we just vanquish him out in the woods? Why does it have to be at my house? My neighbors might not appreciate that.”
“Eat,” Thomas said. “I’ll explain what you need to know as we travel, but we should leave soon.”
Enjoy
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