Page 51 of A Rose Among Snakes

“Mihrra!” Burress, the gardener, crowed from where he sat at the table with Milner. “Come join us.”

I was happy to sit and listen to them share their opinions on politics, disagreeing on whether King Leoro’s low taxes were generous or naive. They did not request or need my input, and Isat back with a smile on my face, marveling at how comfortable I felt among them. My mind wandered to Kezara, wondering if she was at a supper of her own, happier than ever with Leoran by her side. I pushed aside the nagging worry that she, in fact, was not with the prince, and chose to imagine they were having a romantic meal alone.

Our food was set on the table, and once all the staff took their seats, everyone helped themselves.

“What a treat. We don’t get lamb very often. Must be a special night,” Burress said.

Shandy chuckled, her rosy chest bouncing. “It’s not that special, but it is Mr. Blaise’s favorite. Besides, I’m sure Mihrra had much fancier meals at the castle.”

“Yes, tell us what it was like, Mihrra!” Mrs. Shulling chirped.

I squirmed in my seat as all their eyes turned to me, except Narell’s. She was picking at her food and pushing it around her plate.

“Well, we didn’t have any grand meals. It was fine, but your food is better, Shandy.” The cook blushed, and Narell sighed. “We had the meals delivered to our room.”

“Even the servants?” Franz looked stunned.

“Well, I’m not sure. Kezara had me stay in the room with her.”

Everyone oohed and ahhed.

“Naturally,” Narell muttered, shoving a carrot in her mouth. Mrs. Shulling threw her a sharp glance, but Narell was still staring at her plate.

“Did you get to attend the ball?” The question was asked by another of the kitchen girls, Mausette. She was plump with mousy hair and rosy cheeks, but large, blue eyes that gave her a childlike quality.

“I did.”

Mausette’s eyes widened. “Did you dance, too?”

I flashed back to being swept around the gilded room in Velian’s arms, but when I saw the rage simmering in Narell’s dark eyes, I shook my head. I wanted to keep the memory to myself, undiluted by a watered-down recitation. Besides, it seemed any opportunity for a relationship to progress beyond employee and employer had stayed on the dance floor. I had officially joined the ranks of women pining after him, never to have their feelings reciprocated.

“I sat back and watched everyone else,” I said. “I was happy to have the chance to even be there.”

Mausette pursed her lips and nodded emphatically as if she would have felt the same way.

They continued peppering me with questions about the castle and the trip there, murmuring in shock when I shared the details of the attack in Canderren. Mrs. Shulling was especially stricken by the tale, shaking her head and fanning herself, but I assured her all was fine.

Once we finished eating, I reached for the now empty carrot dish, intending on placing it in the sink, but Narell snatched it from me saying,

“I can do it.” She still wouldn’t look at me, but I relinquished it without a word and turned to find Mrs. Shulling watching with her hands on her hips, scowling. I walked over and stood next to her.

Mrs. Shulling leaned toward me and whispered, “Don’t fret about it, dear. She’s just envious of you. She dreams of a grander life.” She patted me on the shoulder. “Now go enjoy your evening and get some rest. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow.”

“You spoke with Velian already?”

“I did. We’ll get it all sorted out in the morning after breakfast. Have a good night, Mihrra.”

“Yes, Mrs. Shulling. Goodnight.”

I departed from the kitchen, leaving behind the sound of sloshing water and scrubbing dishes, deciding to go outside for some fresh air. I walked through the sitting room door, initially planning to head to the garden or back down to the beach, but I chose to explore the front of the manor further.

I followed the path around the brick building covered in green wisteria vines, the flowers long since withered. Winding my way through the planters and down the driveway, I brushed my fingers along the trailing willow tree branches and hoped the soughing of the wind would soothe the lingering tendrils of anxiety.

But I couldn’t stop thinking of Kezara—what was she doing at that very moment? Where was she? And why had she excluded me from the note? That fact still stung, and despite feeling at home with the staff at Blaise Manor, loneliness was creeping in.I was closest with Kezara, and Narell’s frosty behavior did not alleviate my worries.

I’d reached the end of the drive, and while I didn’t mind the thought of the winding decline to town, I had no desire to climb back up, so I turned around. With the sun setting behind the house I finally got my first good look at the stained glass window. The red part was a rose, and the green surrounding it was not vines as I had previously thought, but two snakes.

I froze, blinking fast and hard. It was the same image as my father’s ring and the handle of the case. How could I have missed that before? Why did my father have a ring with what I assumed was the Blaise Family crest? My head was swimming, and thoughts raced around so fast I barely had time to acknowledge them.

---