Page 29 of Queen Isabella

“This is araphanus.” Artifex popped the bonbon in.

She started to chew and realized it was nothing like chocolate as the salty fishiness spread through her mouth. In the most unladylike move ever, she spat the fish ball into her hand, then grabbed the cup next to her.

“My queen, wait!” Artifex said, his eyes wide with surprise, as she dumped the contents of the cup into her mouth.

Not water!It tasted something like concentrated lemon juice, the kind that was so sour it stung the mouth and made it pucker. The salty fish ball was surprising and very gross, but now she’d made it worse. The foul flavors mixed like a perfect storm in her mouth.

Isa instantly spat, covering Artifex’s chest with the fishy sour liquid.

“I thorry,” she slurred, her mouth coated with grossness, but also utterly mortified by what she’d done.

Isa stared in horror at Artifex and the mess she’d made. She’d just finished extolling the virtues of appreciating the hardwork of cooks, and then she did this. Normally she would’ve swallowed the nasty fish ball and politely declined seconds, but the surprise of it not being chocolate kicked off a terrible chain of events.

Why in god’s name did I think it would be chocolate?It was absurd to think that on a foreign world, but it was an instantaneous thought and she didn’t brace herself for anything else.

Instead of shouting at her for spitting on him, Artifex swiftly handed her a different cup.

“I am sorry, my queen, so very sorry. Are you all right? Do we need to go to the infirmary?” he worriedly asked as she guzzled down the water.

She shook her head no, while he poured her another cup of water. Relief filled her as she drank it down, diluting more of the sour fish bile lining her mouth. It was also a relief Artifex hadn’t exploded.

“Noraphanusfor the queen,” Artifex loudly announced to everyone in the kitchen, who had gathered around, panic etched on their faces.

Artifex used a towel to clean her chin and the hand that held the half-chewed fish ball. He then wiped his own chest. She suddenly felt like she was a toddler again and just had a temper tantrum.

“Sorry I spat on you. Theraphanuswasn’t what I was expecting, and that liquid was not water.” She cringed as she shook her head.

“No, it was not water. I am glad you spat thequasauce out. That much would’ve made you sick.” Artifex grabbed her hands, his brow furrowed. “Queen Isabella, you must let me take care of you. There are things on my world you aren’t familiar with that could hurt you.”

“I, well…” She grimaced instead of finishing what she was going to say. “You’re right.”

This new world, from its food to its people, was going to take a lot of getting used to.

Chapter 9

Taste Testing

Isabella

“What must I do to get you to trust me?” Artifex’s brow was furrowed as he stared at her.

Isa cringed. He was right. If she didn’t start thinking before she acted, she could get hurt worse.

Artifex’s gaze landed on the table nearby where a goose or some other plucked bird was being prepped for cooking. Something impish sparked in his dark eyes. He went to the table, but she didn’t see what he grabbed. Isa turned her head, curious as Artifex walked behind her. She was about to turn around atop the table except he grabbed one of her arms. Her mouth dropped open when he started wrapping rope around it, then grabbed her other arm and started securing it.

“What-what are you doing?” she asked when she found her voice, though the answer was obvious to any idiot.

“My queen, I am teaching you to let me care for you,” Artifex informed her as he continued binding her arms behind her back.

She blinked in shock. Artifex was seriously tying her up. She’d heard worrisome stories about men doing things like this, except Artifex still had that teasing look in his dark eyes, his lips curving up. And he wasn’t rough with her, in fact he was very gentle. He finished and sauntered back around the table, stopping in front of her. His gaze raked slowly up her body. Isa fidgeted as he stared. She wasn’t any more naked than before, and yet that’s the way she felt. Being tied up while the cooks watched was seriously pushing her boundaries. Apparently that was the theme for the day.

“I like how that position pushes your teats out.” Artifex ran his index finger across her upper chest, just above the swell of her breasts.

Her cheeks heated at his blatant appraisal.

“Um, I call them breasts,” she replied, at a loss for what else to say.

“Breasts,” Artifex repeated the word. “I like your breasts.”

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