The imp was definitely blushing now. “I’m glad you liked it.”
I moved to get up from the table and carry my bowl to the sink, but Masu beat me to it.
She came forward and grabbed the empty bowl. “Are you sure you don’t want more?” she asked.
I rubbed my stomach and shook my head. “No. I’m full.”
“How about a cup of berry tea?”
“That sounds good,” I said. “I can make it, though. You’re busy and?—”
She waved off my words. “This is my job, and I enjoy it. Let me do it.”
With a sigh, I leaned back in my chair, still rubbing my stomach. I’d eaten way too much, but I hadn’t been able to stop. The noodles were chewy and flavorful, and the sauce she’dcreated for the vegetables and meat was so good that I wanted to drink it.
“How did you get the master out of the holding cells?” she asked as she put the kettle on to boil.
“I told the magistrate that he was my potential mate and that we were testing our compatibility.”
A thick mug slipped from Masu’s grip and crashed to the floor, cracking in half. With a low curse, she picked up the two pieces and tossed them onto the counter.
“You seem surprised by that,” I said to her as she reached for another.
“I am. You said you wanted to return to your home.”
“I do, but I can’t let Bokkan be punished for protecting me.”
“So, you’re staying in Penumbra?”
I shook my head. “No, I still want to return home. Guldan said I might need to stay longer in order to convince the magistrate that Bokkan and I are considering a mating, but it won’t raise concerns if I decide we’re not compatible after all and wish to return to the human realm.”
Masu stared at me for a long moment, her normally cheerful expression absent. When the kettle began to whistle behind her, she turned around, muttering to herself. I couldn’t understand everything she said but caught the words “idiotic males who have no business getting involved.”
She didn’t say anything else to me as she poured hot water over the dried tea leaves and fresh berries, letting them steep for a few minutes.
Masu brought my tea over to the table and set it in front of me before she spoke again. “I do not want you to leave. I will miss you.”
I realized I would miss her, too. I’d only been here for a few days, but the imp had already become a friend. It was impossible not to like her. “I’ll miss you, too,” I admitted.
We didn’t continue the conversation because the door to Bokkan’s office flew open and Guldan stomped out. Today was the first time I’d seen the commander visibly react to anything. He’d been grim when he convinced me to go to the magistrate’s office with him. But now he was clearly angry.
He didn’t speak to either of us as he marched through the kitchen and out the back door.
Masu shook her head as she stared after him. “Meddling fool.”
“What?”
“Drink your tea, Leda. It’s been a long day, and you need nourishment.”
I didn’t repeat my question. Mostly because Masu disappeared into the pantry, moving things around and muttering beneath her breath.
When I finished my tea, I was exhausted. The sun was still up, but I was already sleepy enough to go to bed. My concerns and questions could be answered tomorrow when I was thinking clearly.
I let Masu know I was going upstairs and left my cup in the sink as she requested.
My head ached, so I took a cup of water upstairs with me and decided to take a hot bath. Getting kidnapped, fighting for my life, and finding myself in the care of a huge, terrifying, yet strangely sweet and nurturing monster was more than I had ever endured in a single week.
The door to Bokkan’s office was closed when I walked by. I was tempted to knock on the door and ask him if we could talk, but ultimately stuck to my decision to wait until tomorrow.
