Page 28 of The Loneliest Dragon at Christmas
Jack’s shoulders hunched more and more as his gaze darted nervously around.
Jack did not belong in this part of town. He kept expecting one of the people he passed to ask him what he was doing here and tell him to go home.
He slowed as he came to the street where Avery lived. Somehow, he’d hoped it would be less fancy than the surrounding area.
It was not. Swallowing, he stopped in front of the number Avery had given him.
He stared at the sleek black door with gold embellishments painted around the edges. Jack walked up the steps, a sense of apprehension and doom growing inside him. A large brassdragon door knocker stood in the middle of the door. Jack stared at it for several seconds. Then he lifted it and knocked.
A moment later, the door swung open. Jack frowned. Because Avery didn’t stand before him. A faun wearing an exquisite black-and-beige suit answered the door.
“Good evening.” The faun bowed. “May I help you?”
Jack stared. “Ah.” He looked left and right. “I think I have the wrong house.” He let out a nervous laugh.
Avery had told Jack he lived alone. So Avery couldn’t live here.
“Are you Master Jack Berry?” the faun asked.
Jack paused. “I am.”
“Master Blaize is awaiting you.” The faun took a step back, opening the door wider.
Jack hesitated. “Do you mean Avery?”
The faun nodded. “Yes. MasterAveryBlaize.”
Jack stood still for a minute. With each passing moment, it was becoming more apparent to Jack how little he knew about Avery. It seemed he didn’t even know his last name. Jack stepped into the entryway.
His gaze flicked around, taking in the ornate high ceilings, the large mirror that hung to one side, the stairs that led to the upper floor, and the hallway stretched far back.
How fucking big is Avery’s house?
Panic spiked inside his chest.
I should not be here. I do not belong in a fancy house like this.
“And ah… What’s your name?” Jack asked the faun as his mind scrambled.
The faun paused. “I’m Daniel, Master Berry.” He held out his hand, palm up.
Jack stared at the outstretched hand, confused. Was he meant to give Daniel something?
“May I take your coat?” Daniel asked.
With clumsy fingers, Jack removed his coat and handed it to Daniel, who opened a cupboard and put the coat away.
Then it hit Jack. Daniel was a servant. It had taken Jack far too long to put that together. Avery had a servant whom he paid to open doors and take coats.
He knew people had servants to do this sort of thing. He’d assumed it was what his uncle did in that fancy house he worked in. It was what he’d assumed Avery did when they first met.
But Jack didn’t actually know people whohadservants. It happened to kings, queens, princesses, and lords. Jack might see those people in a fancy procession. But he didn’t interact with them. Ever.
And Jack definitely did not date them.
A chill slid down his spine. Avery was one of these fancy people. He’d not considered it when they met. Why would he?
Those sorts of people didn’t go into bakeries. They had servants who went to bakeries for them. Going into bakeries was beneath people with this much wealth. Especially a bakery in his district, in Hovel Quarter.
