“And marshmallows!” Crow added as he grasped his mother’s other hand. As they began walking back toward the manor, he asked, “And can we have cookies?”
“Tonight, we’re throwing out the rules,” Ursula said with a soft smile at her son. “Do you remember what that means?”
“No vegetables!”
“That’s right. We’ll eat what we want and go to bed when we feel like it. But the rules start again tomorrow morning, remember?”
He nodded. Days without rules helped ameliorate the melancholy of his fathers’ departure.
“Do you do this often,elska’adir?”
“Only on the days when Bran and Gil both leave—and not always then. You weren’t with us when we last decided on a no-rules day.”
Zul nodded, assuming he’d been in the library or wandering about the grounds when that had happened. He hadn’t noticed at the time any raucousness or evidence of festivities. Indeed, his mate and her son apparently kept their no-rules days quiet, focusing on comfort rather than entertainment. He could not deny them that solution to their solemn worry, so he decided he would join them. “What are cookies?”
Crow’s eyes widened. “Cookies are… are… the best things ever!”
Ursula grinned and explained, “Cookies are baked goods, treats where I come from. Gil makes sure we always have a supply of chocolate chips on hand, so you’ll get to experience chocolate chip cookies today.”
He gave her a suspicious look.
“I spoke to Suvesh this morning. He’ll have long since notified the cook.”
“These cookies do not take long to make?”
“Not really. And, given the enormous ovens our kitchen has, the cook can make several dozen at a time.” Ursula redirected her attention to Crow. “Do you want milk to drink with your cookies? I think milk’s the best with cookies.”
The boy nodded. “Yes, milk! Earth milk!”
“Milk?” Zul repeated, now fretting that his mate was unknowingly feeding her son foreign substances that his Urib body could not digest and would make him ill. “What is this Earth milk?”
“Milk usually comes from cows or goats, although some cultures drink the milk of camels, sheep, and horses. I prefer to drink cow’s milk; it’s much less… pungent. Gil gets fresh milk shipped in from Earth. It’s outrageously expensive, but that jerkwad, Argosie, owes me, and he knows it. Anyway, since Gil goes tothe effort of getting milk sent to Uribern, I make sure that he specifies the good stuff.”
“What’s the good stuff?” Zul asked, now genuinely curious.
“Jersey milk.” She gave him an impish smile. “There ain’t nothing else like it.” She looked at her son and said, “We’ll do milk and cookies now and have hot cocoa with marshmallows after supper. How does that sound?”
Crow nodded and smiled.
Zul figuratively girded his loins for the worst as they climbed the stairs to the manor’s imposing front entrance. “I will have to try this milk and cookies.”
“I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
A castratus opened the door and stood aside while his mistress, her Bridge, and her son entered. Ursula thanked the castratus, relying on the good manners taught to her in childhood to show appreciation rather than taking his service for granted. A sweet, rich, alluring aroma wafted through the large building. Zul inhaled and his mouth watered. “Is that?—?”
“It is.” Ursula inhaled deeply and sighed with pleasure as they turned down the corridor that led to the manor’s vast kitchen. “Chocolate chip cookies for everyone.”
Zul was not surprised that his mate would share these delectable-smelling treats with the castrati. “These treats will not upset Crow’s digestion?”
“A couple of cookies won’t hurt,” she said. “That’s all he’s permitted to eat at a time.”
“Ah, so no-rules day does have some rules after all.”
She nodded. “No rules in moderation, of course.”
Chapter 26
Usula noticed almost immediately that the servants disallowed her any news. Printed news releases were burned before she could get her hands on them. Video releases failed to display on any device. They offered no disrespect, but would not accede to her demands for updates. Frustrated, she aimed her accusatory glare at Zul who met her ire with bland equanimity.
