“That’s Cook,” hisses the handmaiden. “Don’t get on her bad side.”
Ghisele mutters something incoherent, hefting a bag of potatoes from the drawer.
Cook snaps again: “You want to come over here and repeat that?”
The redhead merely slams the drawer before lugging the bag to the line of sink basins along one wall.
“I’ll try to remember that,” I whisper back.
More initiates occupy a far prep table, kneading dough with handmaidens. Sleeves rolled up, flour coats their arms to the elbow. Distracted by Cook and Ghisele, one of them knocks a ceramic crock off the table.
It takes several eggs with it as it tumbles.
Crock and eggs shatter to surprised shrieks and giggles. An older handmaiden with chestnut curls lunges halfway across the table, barely catching more eggs before they, too, can roll to their doom.
Ghisele slaps on a spigot. “I can’t concentrate with all of thishavoc.”
“How much concentration does it take to scrub potatoes?” I mumble.
A woman who might be the undercook, based on her outfit, is already moving toward the mess armed with a damp dish towel
“Let’s just say she probably didn’t have a whole lot ofdomesticexperience. You know, before all this,” whispers the handmaiden next to me, her deep brown eyes glinting. She tucks a lock of ebony hair behind her ear, her complexion a rich medium olive. “I’m Kiera, by the way.”
She shows me to a wall-mounted blackboard where assignments are listed by name. “Oh! Looks like you’re in the gardens today.”
Schedule
Temple of Eisha
New Initiate
Morday, the 19th of Emberglow
.: Bath ~ 06:00 to 07:00 :.
(Bathhouse)
.: Breakfast ~ 07:00 to 08:50 :.
(Refectory)
.: Morning prayers ~ 09:00 to 10:00 :.
(Sanctuary Hall)
.: Orientation class ~ 10:10 to 13:00 :.
(Learning Annex)
.: Lunch ~ 13:00 to 14:00 :.
(Refectory)
.: Chores ~ 14:00 to 18:00 :.
(Main Kitchens)
.: Dinner ~ 18:00 to 19:50 :.
