Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

Never bet against a man in a game of hide and seek who’s been cleaning all the hiding areas for ten years.

“I have found you.”

A tortured growl emanated from Enna as she crawled out from under a table. I had no idea how she had managed to squeeze under those short legs and felt a little jealous as I stood beside Raines, having already been ‘found’ by him. Vargas stood on his other side also a very defeated player.

Enna climbed to her feet and stomped one of them on the carpeted floor. “This is no fun! You find us all within twenty minutes!”

“It was ten minutes that time,” Vargas dryly noted.

I grinned. “Come on. At least you were the last one he found. I was the first this time.”

“That is because you giggle too loudly, My Lady,” Raines warned me. “If you had not found the situation humorous then I may not have found you first.”

I shrugged. “Sorry. It was just so funny seeing you dip your head into that huge vase. I don’t think any of us could have fit in-” I took a second look at where Enna had been hiding. “On second thought, scratch that. It was a good idea to look in there.”

He inclined his head to me. “Thank you, My Lady.”

Enna threw up her hands. “Well, I’m finished with this game. How long have we been at it, anyway?”

“For several hours. It is almost lunchtime,” Raines announced.

Vargas perked up. “Then I shall make us a meal straight away!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the kitchen. “Come!”

I stifled a groan as my plan to evade kitchen duty faded to nothing.

“Hey!” Enna shouted as she hurried along after us. “She’s not going anywhere without me!”

“You are not needed for this task!” Vargas countered as she pulled me through the rooms.

“I damn well am needed wherever she is!”

“Not at the moment!”

“I’m not going to let her leave my sight!”

I rolled my eyes as I was dragged into the kitchen by Vargas with Enna at my heels. I was tossed toward the sink and Vargas plucked a bag of potatoes from the counter which she poured in front of me.

“Clean and cut these into squares. We shall have lovely baked potatoes and onions!”

“I don’t like onions,” Enna complained as she took a seat at the island.

“Then you can act like a heathen and pluck them out,” Vargas snapped as she prepared the rest of the meal.

Enna wrinkled her nose and plucked a knife from an assortment seated in a heavy block of wood. She admired the blade before she began slicing the air in front of her like a weapon.

“Careful with that!” Vargas scolded her. “You may cut yourself!”

Enna grinned. “You think so?”

She tossed the knife into the air and the blade flipped around and around. Vargas and I watched in horror as it dropped down, but Enna caught it with ease and gave it an extra twirl in her hand before she sheathed it.

Our companion set her elbows on the island and cradled her chin in her upturned palms. A huge smirk graced her lips as her eyes shimmered with amusement. “I could do that all day and never get a scratch.”

Vargas lifted an eyebrow. “Truly?”

Enna bobbed her head. “Truly.”

“Then catch.”

Vargas tossed her the butcher knife she’d been holding to cut the meat for the meal. The toss went wild and the knife flopped about in a rough arc before descending short of Enna’s position. She practically threw herself over the whole of the island but caught the knife just before it disappeared beneath the top.

She slid back onto her seat and held up her triumph. “See?”

A faint smile appeared on Vargas’ lips. “I must say I am impressed. Very few mortals achieve such dexterity in your short lifespans.”

Enna laughed and tossed the knife back at her. The blade flew with more grace and Vargas caught it with ease. “Then you need to get out more. That’s a trick that was taught to me when I was a girl.”

Vargas inclined her head. “Perhaps I shall but for now I will be content with making some food.”

We finished the cooking and sat down to eat. Vargas took the seat at the head of the table while I took my usual chair. Enna plopped herself down a few seats away from Vargas and opposite me so there was one empty seat between the two feuding women. She eyed the chair at the bottom of the table but the food was out of reach.

Vargas scooted over most of the dishes to our reluctant companion and I made do with what I could grab before they slid out of reach. Enna studied each dish as if it had a chance of hiding poison.

“I assure you they are all delicious,” Vargas insisted.

“Well, that’s your opinion,” Enna countered as she finished plating and prodded a pile of baked potatoes with her fork.

I had to tamp down a smile as I started on the potatoes, at least to show her they weren’t dangerous. Enna took up a piece and snapped it into her mouth. She chewed a while before swallowing and then took another bite. And another. Then she moved on to the other dishes.

Vargas and I watched her with amusement. “What do you think of it?” Vargas wondered as the food on Enna’s plate disappeared.

Enna nodded and spoke with a mouthful of food, splattering the table with crumbs. “This isn’t half bad.”

Vargas and I glanced at each other with knowing smiles and she winked at me. We continued our meal and whiled away the time after that with cleaning up after ourselves.

“You needn’t do that,” Raines insisted as he stood by watching us scrub and dry the dishes.

“Try and stop us,” Vargas challenged him as she handed me another rinsed plate to dry.

Raines turned his hopes on Enna who had to the role of putting the cleaned dishes and pans away. She slid all over the kitchen tossing and clinking the dishes into their spots. The energetic tosser paused in her work and glared at him. “You’re not getting my job, either, bub, so just sit down and watch.”

Raines furrowed his brow, but only for a moment. He lifted an eyebrow and cocked his head to one side. “I believe I hear something.”

We all froze mid-duty and listened. My heart pounded in my chest as my mind conjured up images of an army of black slugs invading the house. However, the noise came from above and voices followed.

“I must say again, that was a spectacular display of firepower,” Ware commented.

I dropped my plate onto the counter and Vargas dropped hers into the sink as we both rushed out of the room.

“Hey!” Enna shouted as she tossed the last plates in her hand into their cupboard. “What’s the rush? It’s only the guys.”

Vargas and I met the guys in the foyer as they strolled in. I threw myself into the surprised but pleased arms of Will. A cloud of dust exploded off of him, choking both of us.

Will drew us apart and grinned down at me. “Sorry about that. The extermination went rather too well.”

“But the farmer did not complain about his field being renovated,” Allard chimed in.

Vargas stopped in the dining room doorway and put her hands on her hips as she looked Ware over. He was as filthy as Will, though I noticed that Allard had remained spotless.

Vargas noticed, too, and looked over the scholarly dragon lord. “How have you maintained such cleanliness while the others are absolutely filthy?”

Allard’s eyes twinkled. “A matter of location, My Lady.”

Ware cast a dark look at his companion as he scoffed. “He hid behind the barn with the farmer.”

Enna let out a loud cackle. “Now that’s a smart dragon there!”

Allard smiled at her and bowed his head. “Thank you, My Lady. Your words are very kind.”

Enna wrinkled her nose. “Don’t go using flattery on me, dragon. It won’t work.”

Allard lifted his head and his eyes twinkled at her. “My sincerest apologies. I will have to inquire further about what pleases and displeases you.”

The tough-as-nails hunter’s cheeks reddened and she stammered out a reply. “W-why the hell would you want to do that?”

He wagged his eyebrows. “Perhaps I will tell you later.”

Ware cleared his throat. “Yes, well, we have returned and with stomachs slightly empty from the endeavor. Is there anything in the house we might eat?”

Vargas grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the stairs. “Of course, you old fool, but not before you have cleaned yourself of that filth!”

I looked over Will with a mischievous smile. “You could do with some cleaning, too.”

He grinned. “Will you help me?”

I snorted and swatted his arm. “Come on.”