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  “We’ve heard stories.” None of them were about draekon forcing women into bed, but they were pretty close.

  When Nolan continued to appear confused, Lorie added, “We are from Caldiri.” She’d picked up that others seemed to know we knew nothing about Draek.

  Nolan shook his head. “We are recruits, but that doesn’t mean we have to do things against our will. Draek’s laws protect us, as they do any draekon citizen. If any of you are ever wronged in any way, those responsible will be punished.”

  “I see.” I wanted to believe him, and a part of me might have, but I would still proceed with caution. Even if draekon society wasn’t as monstrous as I’d been raised to believe, evil people could live in any society.

  17

  The week of training proceeded without further incident. I delivered food to the appropriate rooms at the appropriate times, and I did not encounter the blond guest again. When I wasn’t running or serving food, I was busy helping the kitchen staff clean dishes and prepare for the next mealtime rush. Other than my midday mealtime break, I was working.

  While out in the castle, there were times I was subjected to admiring glances and flirtatious comments, but they weren’t too bad. No one was bold enough to stop me from my tasks. I just kept my head low and left the awkward situations.

  So far, I would describe my life in Draek as bearable. Dull and monotonous… but bearable.

  I saw no signs of the infamous draekon cruelty.

  Indifference? Yes. But cruelty and mistreatment of humans? Surprisingly, no.

  I acknowledged I might not have witnessed such behavior due to my isolation. After all, most of my time was spent among other human servants in the kitchens. Other than the quick interactions when I walked from destination to destination, I rarely saw or heard draekon.

  By weeks end, Nolan was pleased with each of us for our ability to navigate through the south wing, and he proposed adding the north wing to our training. He cited that if ever there were not enough guests to serve, we could assist the runners charged with the court’s official dining room.

  I eagerly accepted his offer, happy to see a different part of the castle. We worked every day since our arrival, but Chef promised we would get time off soon. Until then, I’d have to content myself with exploring new areas to keep myself from going crazy.

  That is not to say every hour of my day was spent working. Each evening once all of the guests’ dinners were delivered or served in the various dining rooms around the castle, the kitchen staff gathered together to eat, drink, and socialize.

  At first, I was nervous to join. I’d never encountered a situation where I didn’t know most of the people in the room. Growing up in Caldiri, there wasn’t a single citizen I didn’t know. Being the most well-known healer certainly helped in that regard.

  I missed that.

  In the castle, however, the number of unfamiliar faces was daunting. My manners dictated I learn all of their names, but I wasn’t sure I would be able to do it. Not before I unintentionally insulted someone by calling them the wrong name. But, with pressure from Lorie and Bridget, I finally yielded and let them drag me to the parlor located at the center of the kitchen’s floor, forcing me to be brave and step out of my comfort zone.

  Four weeks had passed since that first evening, and I was beginning to find my place among the kitchen staff. Lorie, Bridget, and I were the newest additions, with the next recruits having worked at the castle for more than a year. All of them welcomed us, eager to learn more about the newest recruits. In addition to our lack of knowledge about general draekon facts, the three of us displayed traits that revealed Caldiri as our home region. For instance, “our prude and shy behavior,” as Bitty and Kenzie called it. All of the kitchen staff thought we were hilarious.

  “Say it again, Kenzie. Everyone, watch. Let’s see who blushes the most.”

  I mock scowled at Bitty, a pretty brunette from Villam. She was encouraging her friend, who was also from Villam, to repeat the dirty joke, which had made me choke on my water the previous evening. She didn’t even need to say the words, just thinking about them made my cheeks turn pink.

  “That’s enough, ladies.” Nolan came to our rescue. He sipped his glass of whiskey with the other men in the far corner of the room. “Leave the newbies be.”

  I shot him an appreciative glance. He raised his glass higher. The sight made me think of Jem and our one night spent in the pub in Caldiri. Familiar sadness pressed against my chest.

  “But they are just too precious!” Bitty exclaimed. “They don’t even know what it means when I say doggy–”

  “Can it, Bitty.” Chef walked into the room. “We get it. They’re inexperienced in the way of men, and you are too experienced. Let’s move on.”

  The room filled with roars of laughter and applause at Chef’s remark. Even I smirked. Though, I tried to hide it behind my hand.

  Chef moved towards me, holding out a piece of paper. She rarely came into the parlor during our evening fun: I imagined she spent time with other draekon instead. Seeing the folded parchment, I assumed she had a task for me. I took the offered item and opened it.

  Chef spoke while I read the information about the upcoming event. “A number of our guests are having luncheon in the garden now that the weather is warming.” While Caldiri was well past its comfortable outdoor weather, Draek’s had just arrived. Being so far north on the continent, Draek’s last frost only melted two weeks before my arrival.

  She waited for me to look up before continuing. “We will need additional servers to help with the event. Are you interested?”

  My first reaction was to accept. I hadn’t seen the castle gardens yet, but I heard they were lovely. I paused as a thought came to mind.

  “You said servers?” Technically, I was classified as a runner. I’d only ever delivered food to draekon, then left. I’d never stayed around to serve the meals.

  “Yes. Our guests are inviting those from outside the castle walls to join in the luncheon. We will need more servers than usual.”

  Nervousness filled me. “But I don’t know the protocol.” I’d overheard enough servers discuss the odd rules and guidelines they were forced to observe while serving draekon their food and drink. Apparently, the rules were steeped in draekon tradition and to not observe the protocol was to disrespect the draekon culture.

  “You would be serving summer wine.” Nolan stood from his chair and walked over, slightly stumbling from the whiskey he’d drank. “All you need to know is only pour drinks while standing on their right. It’s easy enough.”

  It certainly sounded easy.

  “Why me?” I asked Chef. Surely, there were other people she could ask.

  “Because I recommended you,” Nolan answered for his boss. I was surprised when Chef didn’t seem the least bit annoyed about his interruption. “I thought you’d want to see the gardens.”

  His explanation floored me. How did he know I wanted to see them?

  Seeing the question in my eyes, Nolan sighed and rolled his eyes. “You look out windows every chance you get. I assumed you enjoy being outdoors.” Nolan had taken a protective role of Lorie, Bridget, and me. I couldn’t help but compare him to Lin.

  I lowered my gaze, staring at the petite boots which only reached my ankle. “Um. Sure. I can help.”

  “Excellent.” Chef turned to my sister. “Would you be willing to serve tea in the courtyard? The princess plans to hold tea there for the younger children at Court.” I knew about the twin draekon princes, but this was the first time I’d heard a princess mentioned.

  We really are kept in the dark in Caldiri.

  Not for the first time, the admission annoyed me. I made a vow to try and figure out everything I could about the world I now lived in. Maybe I could find the castle library.

  “Of course!” Lorie showed none of my hesitation. “I’d love to.”

  “Hey,” Bitty crossed her arms and formed a fake pout. “Why aren’t we being asked to serv
e out in the fresh air?” She pointed between herself and Kenzie.

  Chef raised an eyebrow. “Because you two have established routines of delivery that I need you to keep. Plus,” she said, her eyes glinting with amusement, but also reprimand, “let us not forget the last debacle you two caused when I asked you to serve.”

  Kenzie faked outrage. “It wasn’t our fault a fly landed in the soup.”

  “No,” Chef returned calmly. “But you didn’t need to fling the ladle around to try and kill it. You stained numerous guests’ clothing with your stunt.”

  Bitty waved a dismissive hand. “It washed out.” My eyes widened, surprised to hear such an act hadn’t resulted in punishment.

  Chef turned away from the discussion. “I will find you after breakfast and give you more details then,” she spoke to me and Lorie. We both thanked her before she exited the parlor.

  The conversation around us resumed like Chef had never entered. I ignored their light teasing, instead focusing on tomorrow. I might be nervous, but I was also excited. I cherished the small garden Lin built for me at home. One of my favorite pastimes was spending hours in the soil, picking weeds to help my herbs and plants thrive.

  Seeing my sudden smile, Nolan chuckled, drawing me out of my thoughts. “You’re going to love the garden.”

  My smile broadened. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  18

  “You there… Girl! More wine.”

  I breathed through my nose, grabbed the serving pitcher, and walked toward the high-pitched male. He was already five glasses deep, and he barely touched the food on his plate. He acted fouler with each sip.

  Despite working in the castle for more than a month, the luncheon was my first prolonged interaction with castle guests. Bitty and Kenzie told me a little about the dozens of draekon within the king’s home to prepare me for the event.

  Apparently, all of the visiting draekon were members of noble families. The noble families owned land throughout the kingdom and were responsible for paying tithes and taxes to the king. Lord Stanley’s family was the only noble family in Caldiri, but other regions had as many as six overseeing families. I could only imagine the wealth of such regions.

  What amount of riches did they possess to be able to split it among such a number?

  Bitty’s mother was a maid for one of Villam’s rulers, so she knew more about the intricacies of noble families. She explained draekon tradition encouraged nobles to send family members to reside at Court. The sacrifice gave the families the opportunity to earn the king’s favor and demonstrate their loyalty to the crown. I didn’t understand how until Bitty revealed King Roderick was known to blackmail dissident or troublesome nobles by using their loved ones as collateral. By placing siblings, cousins, or even children within the castle walls, the nobles were expressing their allegiance in a very convincing manner.

  Initially, I’d been appalled by the strategy. Using innocents to ply others to your will seemed villainous. But after seeing how frivolous and high-handed the nobles at the luncheon behaved, I found myself less sympathetic. The draekon at Court lived a life of luxury, some of them sharing their good fortune with the occasional human companion. As long as the noble families didn’t anger the mysterious king, the visiting draekon would never know poverty, hunger, or need of any kind. Their life looked to be anything but hard.

  Reaching the intoxicated male, I sucked in my stomach as I slid in between his chair and the one to his right. Careful to keep my hand steady, I poured the wine and quickly backed away from the table. The drunk draekon had been handsy the last time I replenished his drink. Lucky for me, a busty female distracted him long enough for me to escape untouched.

  I returned to my spot by the beverage cart. Inhaling, I breathed in the enticing aroma of the gardens around me. Roses, violets, and lilies released their scent into the air, mixing with the fresh cut grass and recently trimmed trees. I wrapped the shawl around my shoulders as a breeze rolled across the garden. It might be summer in Draek, but the temperature was cooler than I was used to. I owed Nolan for offering me the green material.

  Loud laughter reached my ears, disturbing the serene atmosphere. I turned to the table and watched as the guests tried to throw grapes into one another’s open mouths. Irritation filled me as I watched several land on the ground.

  I imagined what Lin would do if he saw such a waste. I pictured him walking over to the table and shoving the fallen grapes back into the fruit bowl, daring anyone to object with a chilling glare. Lin could make even the most confident man second guess himself.

  My smile disappeared as sorrow replaced amusement. I’d kept most thoughts of my loved ones from my mind, fearing I would break down into tears when I knew it was crucial to be strong.

  But now that I was in a peaceful scene, I couldn’t stop memories of my brother from coming to mind.

  I saw him laughing at some ridiculous joke Lorie made at dinner.

  I watched him drag himself into the house after a grueling day of working in the fields. I saw him shoving against other villagers at the Choosing Ceremony, trying to fight his way to the stage, trying to fight for Lorie and me.

  Tears blurred my vision. I blinked to clear them, but that only made it worse. I looked at the ground, praying no one would see as the tears escaped the corners of my eye.

  “…With the gods as my witness, I will get you two out if it is the last thing I do.”

  The note Hyde gave me on behalf of Lin was branded in my mind. I knew my brother meant every word. He would do everything in his power to get us out of Draek. I could only pray his attempts did not result in harm for himself.

  “More wine!” A female lifted her glass in the air and clicked it with a fork. I wanted to scowl at her impatience, but I schooled my expression and swiftly made my way over.

  I had just finished pouring the wine when a loud, shrill noise assaulted my eardrums. I stumbled back. Still holding the pitcher in one hand, I raised my palms and did my best to mask my ears from the sound.

  Shouts of dismay flew across the garden, but the emotions switched to panic in an instant. Chairs flew backwards. Glasses fell over as the luncheon guests bumped the table, scrambling to leave the garden.

  Draekon shoved past me, knocking me from side to side before I wisely moved back, almost falling into thorny shrubbery. I dropped the pitcher and regained my balance, placing my hands on the sharp branches before quickly pulling away from their bite.

  My head whipped around, trying to find the source of the head-splitting noise. A blue bolt of lightning flew across the sky and collided with the castle wall. I watched as a chunk of stone detached and crumpled to the ground below. My gaze flew up, and I saw many more such strikes hit the castle. A scream lodged in my throat. We were under attack.

  “Get inside!” a royal guard shouted across the garden, ushering those around him into the greenhouse building beside him. His eyes landed on me, the only person too stunned to move. He gestured for me to cross the garden to seek shelter. “Run.”

  I prepared myself to flee when a chorus of male and female screams reached me from the other side of the garden’s wall.

  I froze, terror seizing my muscles.

  Lorie!

  Protectiveness trumped fear as I turned away from the greenhouse. Vaguely, the guard’s protest reached my ears, but I tuned them out.

  Sidestepping fallen chairs and dishes, I ran through the garden to the eastern entrance. I scanned the large courtyard until I found the covered patio near the north wing. That’s where tea was to be served, but I didn’t see my sister anywhere. I didn’t see anyone. Dread filled my stomach.

  “Lorie!”

  My call was drowned out by the roar of a battalion of draekon as they took to the sky. The beasts were enormous.

  I followed their flight and gasped as I saw them collide with small, winged objects. I didn’t know what they were, but I saw one emit a bolt before a draekon was on it and tearing it to piec
es. The spray of blood revealed the winged objects weren’t objects at all. Those were living beings attacking us. But what kind of beings?

  I looked away from the gruesome scene, tuning out the sound of flesh being torn open and sizzling skin. I focused on finding Lorie.

  The courtyard flooded with the royal guard. I skirted around the edge of them to keep out of the way. I heard orders shouted into the air before numerous males shifted into their large draekon forms. I gaped at the swift change, watching the black leathers fall to pieces around them as they took to the skies.

  Scales the shades of green, black, blue, and purple glinted in the sun as the guards launched their counter attack, forcing the enemies back from the castle. Their roars were deafening. I could see the flying beasts respond to one another’s snarls and growls like they were exchanging information and forming plans of attack.

  I ducked under a wooden awning just in time to avoid a stray bolt of lightning ricocheting off the paved courtyard. What were those things?

  My curiosity got the best of me as I leaned out and looked up into the sky. I found one of the unfamiliar, winged objects and focused. A man was strapped with dark belts, dressed in armor… and he was flying?

  I did not understand what I was seeing, but I knew I was right. The man was using the fabric and wood object to fly. At the same time, he rained down shots of lightning on the surprised draekon. From his hands.

  Is that magic?

  Draekon and goblins were real. Why not sorcerers?

  I tore my gaze away. Squinting through the developing smoke and dust, I saw the façade of the north wing. If Lorie had been outside when the attack began, that would be where she sought shelter.

  With a fortifying breath, I pushed out from under the awning and sprinted across the pavement. I twisted and curved my path to avoid arriving guards. None tried to stop me, but a few stared at me in surprise before someone barked a sharp order, and they moved to join the defensive maneuvers. I almost made it to my destination when a masculine shout sounded from my right. I wasn’t sure why, but I slowed my steps.