We settle back into work, time flying as I skim one fascinating book after the next. There’s so much to learn about witchcraft here! No wonder all the books I ordered through the human library system failed me when I researched Hannah and Autumn’s powers. The dragons recorded so many things ignored by human historians as “hysterical female flights of fancy.” What I’m reading now is the lore of women like me I never knew I was missing. It’s been erased from human history because it was never recorded to begin with!
But no matter how much I read, nothing I find matches my power.
A loud growl breaks my concentration several hours later, and I blink at Luke blearily.
“It wasn’t me,” he says.
My stomach growls again, and my cheeks heat. When I check my phone, I see it’s after seven pm. “Oh, we missed lunch, and it’s time for dinner. Do you have food here? Or we could go into town…” I trail off at his scowl.
“This is all horribly inefficient. We won’t get anywhere if we’re constantly interrupted by mundanities. There’s only one answer. You will work for me as we discussed.” Luke spears me with the full force of his gaze.
“And you will live here at my castle.”
CHAPTER NINE
Lukendevener
I begin the tour by showing Skye the west wing. “This is the formal area of the castle, used for entertaining guests.”
We pass through the formal sitting room, still decorated in the overly ornate Louis the XIV furniture so popular with the elves of three-hundred years ago.
“I feel like I’m in the Palace of Versailles.” Skye’s eyes go wide as she takes in the baroque furnishings.
“This is the formal dining room.” I gesture toward the banquet table lined with elaborately carved chairs, offset by gilt-covered walls and several crystal chandeliers.
Her movements grow hesitant, and she reaches out but pulls her hand back before touching one of the chairs. “Is it safe to use any of this?”
“You may utilize anything you wish. The bedrooms in this wing are decorated to match.”
Skye stares at me with worried eyes, nibbling on her lower lip, then blurts, “This is so beautiful—toobeautiful—I’m not sure it’s a good idea that I stay here. Especially with Princess Buttercup. Her fur is so long and fine it getseverywhere.”
“Then you will stay in the family wing.” I lead her back across the foyer and into the east wing, pleased by her choice. She will, in fact, stay in my tower.
I show her the sitting and dining rooms with pride, the heavy wooden antique furniture built sturdier for everyday use, the tapestries warming the walls. It’s a grand house. Since I’ve been on Earth, I haven’t spent much time anywhere but the library, using only my bedroom for a few hours each night. I imagine that will change now that I have a guest.
Skye wears a large smile at first, yet it falters as soon as she steps into the kitchen. A wide stone hearth dominates the room. Its main fireplace contains a roasting spit, and several smaller ovens are inset into the wall surrounding it, using the central fire as their heat source.
“I don’t think I can cook here.”
“Banquets for royalty were regularly prepared in this kitchen,” I growl.
She winces, her cornflower eyes shadowed with doubt. “I’m sure they were wonderful, but I don’t know how to cook with a wood-burning oven.”
When we reach the bathroom attached to her bedroom, the placating noises coming out of her mouth become less and less believable. The little witch can no longer hide her distress. “So there’s… uh… there’s no hot water?”
My wings rustle. “I’ll have you know this bathroom is theheight of achievement for its day. Having running water at all is a luxury, and these are fed by a magical spring.”
“Of course. Super. Great.” She nods her head quickly, biting her lower lip, her hands twisting together. “What about a toilet?”
“The chamber pot is under the bed.” My tail lashes. Where else would I keep it? Does she know nothing?
I fly Skye home in silence. She huddles in my arms, as if to make herself as small as possible.
Inside, I seethe. How dare a human imply a dragon’s home isn’t good enough? My family castle is one of the finest in all of Faerie, nothing less would do for dragons, after all.
She opens her door and turns to offer me a wavering smile, all uncertainty and hesitation. “I’ll have Naomi bring me and Princess Buttercup over in the morning.”
I grunt, looking past her into her warm house full of soft furniture, remembering what I saw of it this morning. It’s nowhere near as grand as my castle, yet I must admit it offers a level of comfort missing from my home.
