Page 104 of Unrivaled
“Feel free to make notes,” she told him.“If you’re here still when I return, I’ll gladly discuss it with you.Unfortunately, I have a quest to progress.”
Chay bowed low, his hand to his heart.I saw Audrey’s slight frown, but behind her, Luca’s expression sharpened.I noted the change with interest.
Then Chay straightened.Audrey turned to Luca.He smiled, apologizing.The creases in his expression smoothed as he promised to support her best he could.
“I wish I could return,” he told her.“Or, better yet, openly visit.I could attend this appointmentwithyou.”
She made a polite noise of agreement.
“One day,” he said, with a sigh.“For today, I’ll do as you say, and annotate any changes I’d suggest.Walk with the Wife, Audrey.”
We weren’t walking with anyone’s wife as we left that tower, though.
“He’sveryfriendly,” I said, keeping it neutral.
“He’s also very clever,” she said, frowning.“Veryclever.He did those calculations in moments.”
I shrugged.As strengths went, I much preferred Kaelson’s.“Drinking before training isn’t wise.”
“I forgot,” she said with chagrin.
“It isn’t all you forgot,” I said.
She took the reprimand with a wince, her eyes dropping to the ground.I didn’t want that either, though.I gave her a little nudge, waving my hand forward, in the direction of the hall where she’d train with Thomas and Kaelson.“Hold tight to what’s important,” I reminded her.“He’s a stepping stone, not a carriage ride.”
Her shoulders firmed, her brows creasing in agreement.I’d got through this time.We’d need to watch the lordling on his next visit.
Over her shoulder, I caught Chay’s gaze.I couldn’t read his expression, but I mouthed a quick thanks for his well-timed interruption.His answering nod was somber.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE
AUDREY
Describe and name as many people as you can that she interacted with before you lost her.The Man’s going to be annoyed, sugar.Take your time and do it right.—S to Celia
27thDay of Summer’s Wife Moon,
Age of the Locways, Year 272
La’Angi Keep
On the other side of the room, Sandra hummed under her breath as she tallied the bottles we had in storage.I tried to ignore the noise.IlikedSandra’s company.She had a similar method of problem-solving as Bernadette, as if she could see all the pieces and the way they fit together was obvious.I’d found explaining small problems to her—like how laundry was being rotated and the shortage of iron for brackets to make new barrels—led to surprisingly ingenious solutions.
But shehummed.
I drew in a deep breath, reminding myself how much longer this task would take were it just I.Steward Daniel had done me the honor of dropping dead, but itdidmean I was back to plague numbers when it came to support from the Stewards’ wing.
Sandra’s chalk scraped agonizingly against the slate.I couldn’t help but make a noise of pain at the sound.
She looked up, her eyes wide with horror.“I’m sorry!I didn’a know it’d do that!Are your ears well, m’lady?”
“My ears are fine.”The noise had made my belly roll, but that wasn’t her fault.
“Good,” she sighed.“I think we’ve got enough of the simple large bottles.I’m still hoping to find more fancy ones!With a pretty ribbon, or an elegant wax seal, they’d be more desirable.”
“If the knappchs are the same, I doubt I can price them differently,” I said, squeezing my eyes shut.My heart was racing.Why?Nothing was wrong.
“Oh, but you’ll have the flavored knappchs.You had the peaches mashed up, didn’t you?I’m sure I recall hearing Bernadette talk of it.And our blueberries—you bought them all to mash, didn’a you?”
