“Pancakes and eggs.”
“Cake for breakfast?” Reign neared the stove and watched them cook. “Perfect.”
I added the cooked ones to the stack and poured more batter into the skillet. “I usually serve these with syrup or fruit jam. Had to make do with what I could find though. You boys need to learn how to grocery shop.”
Reign’s smile turned flirty. “Or we could just let you move in. Do all the shopping and cooking for us.”
“I protest against that idea,” Draven said, joining us in the kitchen. He wore the same clothes as last night. Probably hadn’t slept yet. He and Rowan had kept watch all night.
Before I’d come downstairs, I’d spotted Rowan sitting against the wall, head tipped back as he softly snored. Looked as though he hadn’t been asleep long. I’d covered him up and tiptoed from the room.
“I’ll grow on you one day.” I wagged the spatula at Draven. “Mark my words. I’ll finally find your favorite food, and you’ll be begging me to come over and cook for you.”
He sneered. “You’re dripping batter onto the floor.”
“Oops.”
While I cleaned my mess and returned to the stove, Reign made tea. No coffee, sadly. Guess it was the kitchen of horrors after all. He and Draven stood against the counter and spoke amongst themselves. I tried to slyly listen in as I started cooking the eggs but only caught a few words. “Mercenary” being one of them.
Steps came from the staircase. Callum first, then Maddox, Briar, and Lake. A half-asleep Rowan shuffled behind them, rubbing at his eyes and yawning big. Silly man should still be in bed.
“Morning, love.” Briar pulled me into his arms and kissed my temple. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yep.” I loved when he held me like this, gently but with warmth radiating from his touch. “Lake’s lullaby helped.”
“I’m glad,” Lake said from beside Briar, lifting his hand to my jaw. My skin tingled at the contact, as though tiny electric currents traveled from him to me and back again. “I’ll sing for you whenever you wish.”
“It helped me too,” Callum said. His chocolate brown eyes crinkled as he smiled at me. “Having you beside me also helped. I slept like a log.”
After we filled our plates, we sat at the table. It only fit four people, but Reign grabbed more chairs from the back room and squeezed everyone in. Draven lasted all of one minute before getting up and taking his plate over to the counter, preferring to eat standing up.
Maybe he didn’t like being crowded.
“Gratitude for the food,” Reign said with his mouth full. He washed the bite down with tea. “Best meal I’ve eaten in a while.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I still say you have magic in those hands of yours,” Callum said. “Every bite tastes like pure bliss.”
An odd expression crossed Reign’s face. Draven noticed it too. He slowed in his chewing, eyes on Reign and a furrow in his brow.
What was that about?
After breakfast, Lake helped me wash dishes while the others stood around in the kitchen finishing their tea and chatting.
“Any news about the mercenary?” Briar asked.
“No sightings of him near the castle last night,” Reign answered. “The prince came to no harm.”
“That’s good,” I said, rinsing off a plate, drying it, and setting it aside. “He’ll be able to get ready for the ball in peace. It’ll be a big day for him.”
A bittersweet one. The last thing he needed was more stress.
“Or perhaps the ball is when the mercenary plans to make his move,” Draven suggested. “As Shadow mentioned before, he could use the crowds to slip in unnoticed, then cast a spell on anyone nearby to cause a diversion, allowing him to snatch the prince and flee.”
“Unless the prince no longer interests him,” Reign said softly.
Something in his tone caused a nervous flutter in my belly. Maddox looked at him, brow scrunched. No doubt catching that same shift in the air.
