I filed that information away, along with everything else I was learning about my husband.
Fletcher finished his stew and burped.
“Manners,” I said.
What?I’m a hound. We don’t have manners.
You absolutely do. You just choose to ignore them when it’s convenient.
Peter brought Fletcher a bowl full of water. “Wash it down, lovely pup.”
I like Peter too.
I finished the second pastry and reached for the third.
“So,” Flora said, leaning on the counter. “Did you figure out what’s making the babies sick?”
Word traveled fast in the palace.
“I think so. I think it’s ancient ice formations releasing mineral particles. If so, we’re going to fix it.”
“Ancient ice?” Chef Breard frowned. “In the mountains?”
“Buried for a very long time, exposed by that earthquake a few months ago. When it sublimates, which means it transitions from solid to gas, it releases irritants into the air.”
“And you can stop it?” Peter asked.
“I’m going to try. We’ll probably need to fly to Silvervale soon.”
Chef Breard immediately started pulling out traveling supplies. “You’ll need provisions. Peter, pack the sturdy pastries, the ones that travel well. Flora, cheese and dried meat. And fruit. She needs fruit.”
“I’m only going to be gone a few days?—”
“You’re going to be doing weather magic on a scale that’ll exhaust you.” Chef Breard fixed me with a look that probably made dragons confess their deepest secrets. “You’ll eat properly, or you’ll answer to me.”
Fletcher looked up from his now-empty bowl.Chef Breard has his priorities straight.
“Alright,” I said. “Pack whatever you think I need.”
The three of them bustled around the kitchen, assembling provisions while Fletcher supervised from his spot by the counter, offering unsolicited commentary about portion sizes.
More meat,he said, and I relayed his message.Definitely more meat. And those pastries. At least a dozen.
“We’re not taking a dozen pastries,” I said.
“Two dozen, then,” Chef Breard said, already wrapping them. “His Majesty will need his strength too.”
By the time they’d finished, I had a pack holding enough food to feed a small army. Or one dragon king and his hungry wife.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling at them all. “I really appreciate it.”
Flora hugged me, smelling like flour and spices. “Bring those babies relief and come back safe.”
“We will.” I waved to Fletcher, gathering my notes and the provision pack.
While you and Raoul solve this mystery,he said.I’ll take a very long nap where it’s warm. Demi can bring me back to the kitchens later for my three meals and snacks. Lots of snacks.
I sighed and shook my head.
