Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Dante began reading, and Sixten and I painted. Two chapters later, three quick knocks sounded on the door just before it opened, and Hadriel walked in. “What the fuck is all this?”
Everyone looked up with food in their mouths.
“It is a collection of highly intelligent individuals enjoying a sophisticated read and a bite to eat.” Dante gave Hadriel a haughty look. “Now, where was I?”
“You were not going to get to the part where the very interesting villain gets the girl,” Tanix said, crossing his arms. “The book is poorer for it.”
“Aurelia, love—suck my balls, what is this?” Hadriel leaned over my shoulder, looking at my painting.
“Yeah.” I lowered my brush. “I’m not really getting the hang of mixing the colors. I need to see about Liron’s classes, assuming he doesn’t invite me to any more orgies. Or see if there is a book on it.”
“Do not bother with that cornholing jackass. Or, if you must, spend your time painting dicks in his class. That would be good enough for him. No, love, despite the questionable color choices, this is . . . fantastic. I love it! Once you figure out the colors, do it again and present it to the king.”
“What is it?” Dante lowered the book, and Sixten stopped in her progress to lean around my canvas.
“You knew it was supposed to be the king?” I’d tried to paint him from earlier in the day, when he’d been at his most terrifying. He’d frozen up my wolf at first, appearing as big as the world, blotting out the sun, eclipsing the trees. It seemed as though fire had rolled across his glittering golden scales and the ground had shaken under our feet. Most of that was terror turned imagination, but I’d tried to draw it all, purging the feelings onto the canvas.
What I’d ended up with was an orange-yellow lizard creature with crimson fire and blue trees. Not great.
“Yeah, bro, that’s cool.” Sixten looked back at her canvas. “I fucking suck at this.”
“Lemme see.” Hadriel moved to behind her. He patted her shoulder. “Well, it’s lucky you have other strengths.”
“Oh, fuck off,” she grumbled, looking back over at my canvas.
I laughed and got up to shut the door, finding Vemar just down the hall, sauntering toward us.
I paused and pointed within. “Are you coming in here?”
“I would love to, Captive Lady. I just came to make sure you planned to get up early. I don’t want to bother you if you want to sleep in.”
“I don’t really sleep in.”
“Neither do I. I’ll be waiting for you down the hall first thing in the morning.” He glanced into the interior of my room. “Oh! I see we have a party.”
He slipped inside, and I finally closed the door.
“Oh no, not you too!” Hadriel exclaimed. “You eat like a fucking horse. Now there’ll never be enough.”
“Enough of what?” Vemar asked, looking at my painting. “Is this some sort of dreamy landscape or something? That’s supposed to be the king, right?”
“Here, look at Sixten’s—it makes Aurelia’s look better,” Dante said, having gotten up to see the paintings.
Sixten twisted to look up at him. “Let’s see you do it.”
“Can’t, I’m afraid. Someone has to read, and only one of us knows how.”
“Would you like something to eat?” I pointed at the various options. “I have braised beef and vegetables cooking—they’re almost done—and some salad to go with it. I’ll have enough salad for everyone, but sadly, the beef will just be a taste.”
“It would’ve been a big meal for four until all you fuckers showed up,” Hadriel groused.
“You thought you had a nice little secret, didn’t you?” Dante told him. “You didn’t mention the kitchen to anyone. Very sneaky.”
“That wasn’t my secret.” Hadriel put his hand on his chest. “That information is between her and the beta. What’s the beta going to eat now?”
“Oh, he’ll have his full meal, don’t you worry.” Tanix clapped a hand on Hadriel’s shoulder, making him jump. “You, however—”
“I would advise you to remove your hand from my little buddy,” Vemar said, darkening the room with his building rage.
“Okay, okay.” I put up my hands. “Let’s all mind our manners. If you guys want, I can cook a big stew tomorrow and we can all have some. Or, if you can somehow procure a pig, I can roast it in the ground early tomorrow morning and we can have a small feast tomorrow night for dinner. I have all these new spices to try, so I’m happy to make enough for everyone.”
Everyone looked around at each other. “Pig,” Sixten and Tanix said together.
“Pig,” Dante repeated, nodding.
“Definitely the pig.” Hadriel clapped. “I’m on it.” He turned to go.
“Wait, who was the fourth?” I called.
He paused. “Anyone who wandered in, smelled what was up, and stayed for dinner.”
“Smart,” Sixten murmured, back to her painting.