Page 54 of Onyx Cage: Volume II
“Today, I’ll need everyone’s help to prepare for the festival,” the queen announced, cutting off any further conversation.
I had heard bits and pieces about the festivals here, events which were apparently seasonal, but I wasn’t sure what part of it could involve everyone at this table.
Queen Charlotte’s eyes sparkled with joy, the bright green color so reminiscent of her daughter that it was almost difficult to witness, an unexpected reminder that Rowan didn’t seem to smile with any degree of sincerity anymore. Not at Korhonan, and sure as storms not at me.
Even at Bear, she had been more prone to laughter than in the days since I’d arrived.
“Davin,” the queen called. “You and the older twins can make sure the Games are ready. Logan is taking the younger twins to help set up.” Each family member nodded as she listed them out, unsurprised at their assignments.
Then she turned her gaze to our section of the table. “And the four of you can help me in the kitchens this morning.”
The crown princess sat straighter in her chair on my other side, a peaceful smile gracing her lips. That made one of us. Though the kitchen at the cabin was open to the dining area, I had never actuallyusedit. Beyond sharing the duties of the soldiers at camp, I was fairly certain I had never cooked anything in my life.
At least that would still put me ahead of Korhonan, who would never dream of lowering himself to make food for his men.
“We always bake—” Rowan started to say.
“Pastries for the festivals,” Korhonan supplied. “I remember.”
How charming that they had these quaint conversations. In any event, Rowan had barely navigated her way around serving medovukha from a pot at the cabin.
“You...bake?” I allowed every ounce of the doubt I felt to creep into my tone.
Avani let out a cough that sounded more like a laugh, confirming my suspicions.
Rowan lifted her chin like she did when she was about to be obstinate…or about to lie. “Why wouldn’t I?”
I considered that. In theory, an unfamiliarity with one Socairan kitchen did not exclude the possibility that she possessed a talent for baking. But from what I had observed of Riina’s methods, there were a great deal of slow, painstaking steps to making good pastries, a certain amount of watchfulness and intuition involved in taking them out of the oven.
Baking was a calm hobby, and Rowan was inherently chaotic.
“Because it takes patience, of which you have exactly none,” I informed her.
This time, it was the king who choked on a laugh. I knew I was right if the man who hated me was on my side.
Rowan knew it, too, judging by her glare of betrayal.
“And you’ve gathered this from your ample knowledge of baking?” she demanded, turning the tables on me.
That was fair enough. I knew little and less about baking, but neither the hell did she.
“Apparently more ample than yours,” I shot back.
The queen cleared her throat, sounding like she, too, was suppressing a degree of amusement. “Well...today we’ll mostly be preparing the ingredients.”
Ah, the final confirmation. Rowan bristled. Fortunately, the man who knew even less about my lemmikki than she knew about baking was fast to come to her rescue.
“I confess I don’t have much experience in kitchens, but I’m sure Rowan can show me around.” He sounded sincere, which was almost worse than if he had been intentionally sarcastic.
I didn’t roll my eyes, but I did snort. I certainly wasn’t the only one. Twin adolescent snickers traveled down the table, and even Gallagher had to hide his smirk behind a biscuit.
Rowan loosed a long-suffering sigh.
“Yes, Theo. I certainly can.” Though the words were directed at him, her eyes were fixed pointedly on me.
I shrugged one shoulder, raising my eyebrows. I wasn’t going to apologize for understanding who she was.
I felt another set of eyes on me. I looked over her head to see Korhonan studying us both. Instead of the vitriol I was expecting, or even frustration, his brow was furrowed as his gaze slid between Rowan and me, his lips pursed into something unreadable.