Page 101 of Dancing for the Minotaur

He frowned.

“That sounds dull.”

Terra laughed.

“You know what? Fair.”

She tore off a piece of the warm fargas bread and dipped it into the blue gravy. Then she took a bite, and her eyes widened.

“Oh, wow…” she moaned.

Taurex watched her closely.

“Well?”

Terra took another bite and swallowed before answering.

“This is really good. I mean, maybe the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth!”

His expression brightened with unmistakable pleasure.

“So you like it?”

“I love it.” Terra took another bite and hummed with pleasure.

The stew reminded her vaguely of beef stew, but the flavor was much richer. The blue meat was incredibly tender, falling apart beneath her fork, and the gravy had a deep savory quality that made her think of slow-cooked beef, mushrooms, roasted onions and red wine all mixed together, though none of those ingredients were actually in it. The green roots had softened into something like potatoes while the turquoise seeds added tiny bursts of sweetness.

Terra took another bite.

“I cannot believe I'm eating blue gravy and enjoying it this much,” she remarked.

He raised his eyebrows.

“The color continues to trouble you.”

“I'm getting used to it,” she said, giving him a smile as she took another big bite.

Taurex tore off a piece of bread.

“You adapt quickly,” he remarked.

“Single motherhood,” Terra said dryly. “You learn to adapt to pretty much anything.”

He looked at her thoughtfully.

“I believe you have had to adapt to too much.”

The statement was so simple and yet so unexpectedly tender that Terra paused with her spoon halfway to her mouth. She thought of her first unexpected pregnancy, then her divorce and then having to start stripping to make ends meet.

“Maybe, I have,” she said softly.

Taurex didn't push. Instead, he simply reached across the table and placed another piece of warm bread beside her bowl.

“Eat,” he rumbled. “You don’t have to deal with anything else right now.”

Terra smiled.

“Yes, Mom.”