Page 16 of The Vampire Castle in the Sky

By the armchair closest to me, a round table popped into existence. The silver tray atop it was overflowing with two pots, one of peppermint tea and one of hot chocolate, as the calligraphy on the little tags that looped around the curvy handles informed me. Right next to them glinted a crystal jar of star-shaped sugars and a tiny pitcher of steamed milk, which was accompanied by a basket of warm pastries and amouthwatering array of breads and jams. Two different butter bells, one regular and one herbed, lay next to the empty cups and carafe of chilled water, while on top of the serving plate rested a cloth napkin folded around the stem of a single red rose.

“There,” said Hector in a monotone voice.

“So the problem wasn’t the Castle,” I accused, hooking my hands on my hips. “It was you.”

“Just sit down and eat your breakfast. I won’t have you fainting on me. And drink some water. I can smell the dehydration from here.”

“And what do hydrated people smell like?”

“Like a five-course meal.”

“You’re shameless.”

“And you’re about to pass out. Drink your water.”

Now that he mentioned it, I did feel a bit lightheaded, but to be fair, our accelerating ascent into the clouds held most of the blame.

As I took a seat on the plush armchair next to the beautifully set table, a woolen blanket and a book materialized upon the armrest. And just like that, life was worth living again. Everything was so comfortable and cozy I was practically purring with satisfaction, but when I noticed the title on the bright pink cover, I nearly jumped up again, squealing at the top of my lungs.

Hector startled. “What in the world—”

“This is it! It’s the newLord Verlionbook! I can’t believe the Castle has this already!”

“You’re shrieking like a banshee over a book?”

“This is not just any book. This isThe Rogue Lord Verlion,” I argued, my voice still having trouble reassuming its normal volume. “I heard this is going to be even more steamy than the previous ones, which is a serious feat considering Verlion has been going at it with the heroine since book two.”

“How lovely for her,” Hector muttered, raising his book to his nose.

“Fine,” I relented, helping myself to a blueberry muffin and a creamy cup of hot chocolate. “What isyourbook about?”

“The division of the holy brotherhood after the first starfall. You know, to this day, there are people who believe stardust is sacred and should not be used by mortals,” said Hector very seriously.

“How interesting,” I cooed.

“I’m almost done with it if you want to give it a go.”

“Do they kiss and make up in the end?”

He cast me a quick but perfectly sardonic glance. “The priests? No, they do not kiss, I’m afraid.”

“I refuse to read anything that doesn’t have a happy ending. Real life is miserable enough.”

Hector changed the page, murmuring wryly, “Well, they did send a siren after the anti-stardust leader. So before he was murdered, he did have at least onehappy ending.”

“Ah, he makes jokes,” I teased.

And just as I was about to say that his brooding had undergone significant improvement ever since I came here, Hector made a frustrated sound deep in his throat. “What do you want from me, Dorothea?”

“Dorothea? Things are getting serious.”

Suddenly, the cushion beneath me turned solid and gave me a swift but firm smack that made me leap up to my feet. “Your Castle just slapped my bum!”

Hector, the bastard, didn’t even pretend to look surprised. “It will do it again if you don’t tell me why you came here.”

I glared at him, sailing far away from the apparently sentient chair. “And here I thought you were a gentleman.”

“If you don’t have anything to say, please leave me alone,Dorothea. Otherwise you give me no choice but to prove to you how much of a gentleman I am not.”

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