But the girl had some kind of addiction to negativity. “I’m out of here if that Beast shows. He’s just fattening us up, you know. Soon as he eats you, I’m gone.”
“Too bad. I would have enjoyed haunting you.” I nearly drooled when a selection of tiny savory pies appeared before me. “I’ll give him your regards.”
She snorted and kept eating. Aside from her sour expression, Winifred’s appearance had vastly improved since we arrived at the Forbidden Palace. She had healthy color in her face, and I was pretty sure she’d bathed twice this week. Quality clothing made a difference too. She no longer appeared ready to disappear into the ether.
By the time my dessert arrived, I realized wearing skinny jeans hadn’t been such a good idea. “Want some cheesecake? I’m sure there’s more.”
Her mouth full, she scowled, pointing at her large slice of chocolate cake.
Before I could respond, I sensed the Gamekeeper’s presence. The chair at the head of the table, to my left, slid out, and something heavy compressed its wide embroidered seat.
“Good evening,” he said.
Happiness seemed to fill my chest. “Good evening.”
“What’s so good about it?” Win inquired around a mouthful of chocolate.
“I was speaking to the Gamekeeper, who just joined us.” I indicated his chair.
“You think I didn’t notice when you moved that chair with your foot?”
I could only sigh. She reveled in rudeness. By pretending he wasn’t here, she could finish eating her cake.
“I hope you’re enjoying your meal.” Did I hear an edge of humor in the Gamekeeper’s voice?
“I haven’t had a subpar meal since we arrived.” I spoke no more than the truth. “Everything is delicious. Would you like a slice of cheesecake?”
“You already asked me that. Disgusting, squishy curd stuff.” Win contorted her face.
“Thank you,” he replied, “but I cannot truly appreciate sweets anymore.”
I shrugged lightly. “Then I suppose I must enjoy it for you.”
“Martyr that you are,” he responded, and I knew he was smiling.
“You are so weird,” Win observed.
I laughed, choked on crumbs, and covered my face with both hands, coughing until my airway cleared. He handed me a clean serviette, which I used to dry my eyes. Finally able to speak again, I blurted, “You’re lucky I didn’t spew that bite at you,” in his direction.
“I’m lucky?You’relucky to not get murdalized,” Win retorted.
I opened my mouth to point out her rudeness, but he spoke first. “We need to discuss plans for tomorrow.”
“Oh, that works. I can pass them on to her since she refuses to hear you.”
“Pass what on to who? Stop talking to yourself.” Win lobbed a cold, limp chip at me, but I caught it before it could stain my clothing. Either she really couldn’t hear him, or she was a good actress. But I was sure that she knew he was present.
“The griflets must begin to hunt larger prey,” he said. “A young bachelor griffin has agreed to train them in hunting and self-defense, starting tomorrow.”
I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about my baby learning to hunt larger game . . . let alone to fight. “May I go along?”
Win snapped, “Even if I was going somewhere, I wouldn’t invite you.”
I focused on her scowling face. “The Gamekeeper, who is sitting here beside us, made plans with an adult griffin to teach our griflets how to hunt larger game.”
“Nice try. There aren’t any griffins around here. They’ve all been captured.”
“We not captured!” Chicky’s screech nearly startled me out of my seat.