Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Vargas, too, stopped her preparations to look about the room. “What in all the lands is that noise?”

I set my perfect biscuits on the island and turned in a slow circle until I noticed movement at the window. One of the tiny Tenky folk balanced their ‘vehicle’ on the outside edge of the glass. The little man knocked his fist against the window creating the sound.

I hurried over and Vargas was quick to follow. The little guy looked so precarious that I opened the window. “What is it?”

The little Tenky rolled back and forth on the wide sill and his eager eyes scoured the kitchen. “Did one of us come this way?”

“If he has he would not dare show himself in my kitchen,” Vargas spoke up.

The Tenky scowled at her. “Maybe you just didn’t see him but he’d want what you’re cooking.”

The compliment somewhat mollified Vargas’ annoyance at the interruption. “We have not seen your friend but we will keep an eye out for him. What does he look like?”

The Tenky used a hand to gesture down at himself. “Like me and he was riding on a shell with a crack in it.”

I nodded. “We’ll remember that but what makes you think he’s missing?”

Our little guest wrinkled his nose. “We were supposed to meet up for a late lunch but he never showed. I figured he followed the scent to this place and maybe grabbed a bite to eat.”

I smiled and patted the bottom of the open window. “We’ll keep the window open and see if he comes this way.”

The little man inclined his head. “Much obliged for the help.” He tightened his grip on the ‘handlebars’ and the walnuts spun in place before whisking him off the sill. The strange little man dropped into the grass and soon zoomed out of sight.

Vargas shook her head and clucked her tongue. “What a strange gaggle of people Lord Thorn allows on his lands.”

“At least they’re useful,” I pointed out as I turned back to the kitchen.

However, I was alone in leaving the window.

Vargas hadn’t followed. I turned and found she stood close to the raised glass. Her gaze was captured by the early afternoon sky and her hands gripped the edge of the sill nearly bad enough to make the knuckles go white.

I sidled up to her. “Are you worried about him?”

Vargas shook herself and frowned at me. “Of course not! Why should I worry about him? That old fool always does such foolish things!”

“You look like you’re worried,” I persisted.

She pursed her lips and tightened her grip on the window sill. “Well, perhaps I am. He is not as young as he used to be and his wings are not as strong as they should be. They may fail him if he flies too recklessly.”

I set a hand on her shoulder and offered her a smile. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. If something happens to him the Tenky will be able to tell us about it, too.”

Her hands quivered a little as did her lower lip and her voice came out in a hushed, shaking whisper. “But what if the call comes too late?”

Her quivering tone pulled at my heartstrings. I set a hand on her shoulder and offered her a smile. “I’m sure he’ll be back in no time so why don’t we finish the food? If he has as good a nose as everyone says then he’ll smell what we’re cooking and come running-er, flying this way.”

Vargas used her fingers to wipe a few errant tears from her eyes and nodded. “Of course. You are quite right. The scent of food will most definitely draw him in this direction.” She pushed off from the sill and turned to face me. A faint smile touched her lips and for the first time since I’d met her, I didn’t detect any of the usual sardonic humor in her expression. “Let us hurry now! We mustn’t keep empty stomachs waiting!”

We returned to our work and soon had a feast of simple foods prepared. Vargas removed her apron and showed off that she hadn’t a puff of flour or a speck of spice on her person. I looked down at myself and winced. Flour covered most of my front and a splotch of dough had somehow attached itself to the toe of one foot.

Vargas paused in her smoothing of the few wrinkles that weren’t supposed to be there and looked me over. The corners of her lips twitched upward in a teasing smile. “Perhaps you should change before serving our guests their food.”

I sheepishly grinned at her. “Yeah.”

I slipped out of the kitchen and up the stairs but my attempt at sneaking was foiled when Will came out of our room. He paused at the top of the stairs while I stopped at the landing. His eyes twinkled as he looked me over. “You look as if you have been busy.”

I folded my arms over my chest and coughed a little when my limbs disturbed the flour on my front. “Probably busier than you.”

He grinned as he sauntered down the stairs toward me. “Perhaps I haven’t been idle as you suspect.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Then what have you been doing?”

Will stopped in front of me and brushed his fingers against my cheek. His fingers came away with more than a dusting of flour. “Putting away the laundry.”

I snorted as I imagined the regal lord folding the whites. “Really?”

He feigned injury. “Truly. Raines needed the hand especially as he had so many clothes from Lady Vargas to wash.” He looked past me and at the kitchen. “How did you fare with the old dragonness?”

I nodded. “She was actually pretty nice. She’s a strict teacher but the biscuits came out really well.”

He cocked his head to one side and admired me. “Then you are now both a beauty and a chef?”

I laughed. “Well, I can definitely make biscuits now.”

Will lowered his voice to a whisper. “And the rest of the food?”

I grinned. “That’s going to be our little surprise.”

I slipped past him and upstairs where I changed into less ghostly attire. A loud noise down in the hall made me scurry out of the bedroom and lean over the balcony. The front door was wide open and Lord Ware stood in the middle of the foyer. His nose was lifted high in the air and his nostrils were flared.

“What do I smell here?” he called out.

Vargas marched out of the dining room and put her hands on her hips. “You smell nothing for you, you old fool! That is all you deserve for flying off without thinking!”

He scoffed. “Of course I was thinking! Those small lads needed more eyes in the sky than the eagle could handle, especially as that beautiful but confused bird flew off due east without a single look left or right! I am not even sure it ever returned to do any scouting elsewhere outside of that straight line!”

Vargas tapped her foot on the floor. “That is no reason to use your old wings to fly over the entirety of a dragon’s domain!”

Ware flexed his arms and winced. “They could use a bit of rest, I will admit, but what I could use more is some of that cooking I smell.” He dropped his arms to his sides and looked her over. “I expect you had a hand in it, otherwise it would not have smelled as nice as it does.”

Vargas blushed a little but hid it by crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him. “Flattery will not win over my irritation with you.” She stabbed a finger at the stairs. “Now go and change out of those filthy clothes or you will get nothing to eat!” She spun on her heels and marched back into the dining room.

Ware was finally able to reveal his big smile as he rubbed his stomach and turned toward the stairs. He noticed me on the balcony and dropped his arm to his side. The regal dragon lord lifted his chin and sauntered up the steps before disappearing into his room.

I danced down the stairs with a lightness in my step and a smile on my face.