Nadyah sat across from Adelina and they watched the kitchen staff work their magic. They worked hard and fast, perfectly in tune with each other. Some handled knives like they were born to it, doing a bit of flashy work while she watched. Their chatter continued after a few minutes and that’s when Adelina could truly relax.
“Here, try some of this,” Taj said, dropping a plate of steaming croissants on the table. He leaned his hip against the battered wood and surveyed his kingdom. “Those mangoes finally ripened.”
The small talk in the kitchen soothed Adelina’s heart. There was a fair amount of drama in the world of the kitchen staff and servants, but it was so nice to hear about something other than war and marriage.
“I can’t wait to try them,” Adelina murmured.
Taj gave her a disgusted look. “Let’s not do that shit while you’re down here, hm? That mask,” he said, wiggling a finger at her face. “May work upstairs, but I’ve known you for ten cycles. That little game as the Wolf may have been a surprise for everyone else, but us servants, we see you more than anyone.” Taj took out his massive knife and flipped it before cutting the croissants into small pieces. “Now eat so you can deal with all those monsters upstairs.”
“You want a job on one of my ships?” Adelina asked, ignoring everything else despite how much it pleased her to hear. “I’ll need a chef and I’m rather partial to your cooking.”
The barking laughter made everyone in the kitchens jump. Then Taj pointed a finger at one of his sous chefs. “Don’t let those onions burn or I’ll have your hide,” he snapped. “And you, if that sauce curdles you’ll be doing dishes for a week, after each meal.”
She tasted the croissant and the buttery soft bread gave way to a sharp cheese mixed with the bear meat from the day before. Adelina closed her eyes in bliss as she chewed. It paired perfectly with the spiced coffee and milk.
“You know I can’t leave these heathens, but I’ve heard of a few others who might be interested. Would I send that information to you, or to someone else?” Taj glanced at Nadyah as he snagged a cup from a passing tray of clean dishes. He poured himself some coffee and sipped while he looked between the two of them. “I still can’t believe you’ll be going off to the Hai galaxy. Make sure you trust who you bring, those dragons can be ruthless and cruel.”
“What do you know of them?” Adelina asked carefully, setting down the bit of croissant and wiping her hands clean.
“Enough to stay away,” Taj muttered. “Lord Caspian was down here sniffing around. If you need food and supplies send me a cast with your list. I’ll have it all arranged. That male pisses me off.”
Adelina said nothing as she finished the spiced coffee and stood. So many were willing to help her and she didn’t really understand why. Traveling to the Hai galaxy was a fool’s errand. Everyone knew it. Raena didn’t even think she could get off Draga Terra.
“I’ll need all the supplies in five days,” Nadyah said. That would give them an extra day or two in case things went wrong. Nadyah stood and curtseyed to the head chef which made him grin.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Taj said. “Send this lovely down with the list in a few hours and I’ll get on it. Now be off, I hear through the whispers and chatter you have a busy day.” Taj downed the coffee and beckoned for a servant boy to clear the tiny table. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Princess.”
Adelina smiled and kissed him on the cheek, pretending not to see him bluster, or the way his cheeks grew red with pleasure. Taj had known her since she was a little girl and she used to sneak into the kitchens at every opportunity. None of the servants ever really talked to her but Taj, and then eventually she grew to know most of them. But most servants came and went over the cycles. Taj though, he’d been kind to her and let her try all his new foods, sitting her on that very same table with milky tea. He had to be in his eighth decade now.
They had just enough time to meet Varan at the palace gates rather than one of the receiving rooms. Nadyah glanced back as they left the hustle and bustle of the kitchens and headed back into the main part of the palace, which was still silent as a tomb.
“Caspian has sent me a list of everything you and the royal family take on a tour which is a four month trip. Do you think that will be enough?” she asked Adelina.
Their shoes made hardly any noise at all on the stone as they walked through the first set of palace walls and headed toward the second. The floating ramparts glowed in the early morning sun. Adelina kept her eyes on all the guards, wondering where Alpha had been placed that day. He’d been by her side less since her coming-of-age party. It was one of her new freedoms, but Adelina missed his company.
“We won’t be feeding eight royals and it should be enough if the numbers match up. The forces will need to be fed as well, but I’m more concerned with our weapons cache,” she said, lowering her voice as they passed a set of guards. “We never traveled with many because we were visiting our own territories, but the border and beyond is a completely different matter.”
Goddess, she was nervous. Adelina knew once all the planning and preparation was done the ramifications of this trip would fall on her, heavy and crushing. She would be the only royal aboard the ships, the highest ranking person there – and she wasn’t sure she could do it. How could she control the lives of thousands? So far from Draga Terra and the core, she would have no one to fall back on.
“Do you think I can do this?” she asked Nadyah, stopping just inside the last set of palace gates. Adelina folded her hands in front of her and smiled as she always did. The guards shifted but said nothing.
Nadyah stood a step behind, but her shoulder brushed against Adelina’s in reassurance. “I know you can. You’ve never been tested like this before, but I think you are far stronger than you know.”
The quiet words, said with so much conviction, eased some of Adelina’s tension and her smile became more natural.
Varan looked completely ragged and awful as he made his way up to the palace gates. The guards looked to Adelina, and she nodded. They didn’t seem confident about her decision, but they opened the gates regardless. No doubt they recognized him after the coming-of-age party.
“Princess Adelina, you are a lovely sight so early in the morning,” Varan said with a flourishing bow. His blond hair wasn’t as shiny as it normally was and his emerald eyes looked tired.
“Varan, I’m so glad you could make it,” Adelina murmured, watching how his eyes flicked to Nadyah before they rested on her. Varan offered his arm and she took it. “Shall we make our way to the palace then?”
The three of them walked towards the palace in silence until they had passed the guards.
“Did you sleep at all?” she asked, eyeing him with concern.
“Maybe an hour or two, but the best sales are done in the dark hours.” The thief’s grin was toothy and wolf-like.
Adelina grinned at him. “I can’t wait to see the starships you picked out.”
He tossed something to Nadyah. “This is for you, darling.”