Oh. Draw.
“Weehl,” I said in the hard accent of the Midwest, “I’m not quite a light?” I pondered what it was I’d just said. Seemed funny but Draw didn’t laugh.
“Are you drunk?” he hissed.
“It’s only wine.”
He looked down his nose in disappointment, rose, and brought back a pitcher. I shuddered when I saw he was pouring me a glass of water.
“‘S’ere’s little bugs in there.”
Draw clutched the cup as he peered at the water. “No, there’s not. You need to sober up. What if the queen should call for you?”
“She already thinks I’m weird.”
“She already thinks you’redangerous. You maintain your position of safety by being valuable to her.” He pushed the tankard at me, but I shook my head. He rolled his eyes and took a drink. “See? Just fine. Stop that!” he barked when I pushed the cup back. “Take it.”
“But I can only drink clean water,” I panicked.
“Do you think it came from a swamp? It’s rainwater, you goose.”
“Oh,” I said, mollified and took a sip.
Survival instincts took over and I glugged the rest of the tankard. Draw poured me another cup, which I drank more slowly this time.
“Stay here,” he said as if I were a badly behaved pet, then disappeared for a good ten minutes before returning with a plate of poached pears over pearl onions and grain. He set it in front of me, nothing for himself. “Eat,” he commanded.
I did just that as he poured another cup of water.
The food was good, but it was the water that was doing wonders for my constitution. I’d been very dehydrated for over a day and didn’t notice it until now. When I turned to thank Draw, he was gone.
Chapter Nine: Alexa, What is a Celebrity Crush?
Back at the Maidens’Chamber, a chorus of shouts greeted me.
“Sweet lords,” someone cursed.
