“Lemon chicken pasta,” Pierce announces, without even looking up. “Be thankful I stopped them before they decided on midnight kebabs and you ended up with some god-awful food poisoning.”
“I still think that was a good idea,” North grumbles, taking a seat at the table beside Dakari. “Where’s Eddy?”
“Upstairs. Headache,” he says.
I frown, but a tray is already floating up towards her room, accompanied by a familiar small grey bottle from my alchemy cabinet. Jasper has taken over steering me towards my spot at the head of the table with a smile and a kiss.
My heart sinks a little as I do my best to ignore Leo’s vacant spot. Just like I pretend not to notice that the Arcanaeum has removed his armchair from the corner, replacing it with a potted fern.
Lambert, of course, catches me looking in that direction as he brings over my food. For a second, his smile dims, but then it’s back. Maybe, in his optimism, he believes that this is temporary. I don’t see how it can be.
Pierce takes a seat on my left, cutting off my view of the fern.
“Are you sure you both need to go to that dinner tomorrow?” I ask.
“If I disobey, my mother is likely to make things more difficult in the long run.” His lips purse at the idea. “Better to appease her. She’ll be on her best behaviour if we have guests. With Leo, Dakari, and the rector there, she’ll want to give a good impression.”
I take my first bite of the pasta, and groan. “This is…”
“Absolute dogshit,” North says. “Come on, don’t compliment him. His head’s big enough.”
Pierce scoffs. “I don’t accept praise from someone who cuts up spaghetti.”
I freeze, looking down at my cutlery, where the short strands of pasta are piled neatly on a slither of chicken, and then at the way he’s twirling his on his spoon with deft motions.
“Oh, shut it,” North grumbles. “Not all of us went to finishing school.”
Jasper snorts, and a second later, Lambert does too. Okay, time to change the conversation before the banter escalates.
With a wave of my hand, I summon a collection of tonics and amulets into the centre of the table. There are three of each, something which seems silly now that Leo’s absence is so marked, but then again, perhaps I’m the only one who thinks that.
“I created a few things to keep you safe.”
“It’s just dinner,” Pierce leans back in his seat.
“And you’ve already proven that you’re easily fooled when it comes to truth potions.” I wave a hand at the bottles between us. “This will make you immune to most mind-altering concoctions and a handful of poisons. It should last for a few days, so you can take it now.”
Dakari is already downing his, dropping the empty bottle to the table with a slight frown. “Coconut?”
I incline my head gracefully. “It was the best I could manage on short notice.”
I usually prefer cherry, but things got mixed up. Maybe I have been working too hard if I can’t even get a simple potion flavour correct.
I hope I got the rest of it right.
Maybe I should?—
I don’t even realise I’m beginning to stand until a gentle hand pulls me back down into my seat. “Five minutes to eat,” Jasper cajoles from my right. “Please?”
Those eyes of his should be illegal. While Lambert’s begging fills me with wry amusement, Jasper’s melts me from the inside out.
“Plus, we have a surprise for you,” Lambert adds. “If you can eat a whole meal and sleep the night in your own bed.”
“Something which you haven’t done in two days.” Dakari frowns.
Has it really been that long? I mumble an excuse no one believes and shove another forkful of food into my mouth.
I don’t expect to manage the whole plate, but Pierce—for all his arrogance—is a passable cook. Dakari kidnaps me from my spot the moment we’re both done, pulling me into his lap. I’m not quite sure how I get from there to bed, or at what point North and Lambert replace Dakari. Being cared for is a new indulgence, and a full belly makes me sleepy.
