Page 41 of The Chosen Fae

What amused Rune the most was that Vesper and Xena were made to sit there to watch them feasting. It would have been nice to talk without them being at the campfire. On the other hand, the delightful smells of the roasted pig and sides made Rune’s stomach growl, and she knew they were salivating because they couldn't eat a bite.

It served them right. She was glad the Game Master had made that decision.

The pig’s skin had turned dark amber, crackling and splitting along the haunches where the fat had rendered out. Smoke curled up from the pit in lazy ribbons, carrying with it the deep mahogany gleam of slow-cooked flesh. The juices pooled beneath the carcass, shimmering and dark, collecting in the ash-gray hollow of the pit.

Once it was done cooking, the chef sliced the carving knife slowly and deliberately through the crust, a dry, rasping sound, before the blade found the softer flesh below.

They were served succulent meat, potatoes, gravy, and green beans.

Rune licked her lips. She couldn't help herself. It smelled too good.

The first bite delivered a split-second of salty crunch before the fat beneath dissolved warm and thick across the tongue.

Rune glanced at Stone, and he had taken his first bite and was licking his lips, smiling at her. He leaned over and kissed her mouth. She smiled and kissed him back.

But then she dug into her mashed potatoes, pork gravy, and green beans, enjoying every tasty bite.

"Those of you who used bows and arrows and the slingshot were truly effective on the boar," Stone said, giving them credit and praise.

Caspian held up a piece of meat and said, "I think an arrow went through right here."

They all laughed.

Vesper and Xena were sitting on rocks nearby, watching them, listening in, looking like they had made a mistake for not helping take down the boar.

If so, they were right.

It looked like some camaraderie was building among all the competitors, minus Vesper and Xena, who had helped capture the boar. And that was a good thing.

When they finished the meal, they returned to the gaming facility, and everyone went off to do whatever they wanted to. Rune headed to the library, and Stone went with her.

"You're going to read a book?" Stone asked her.

"If they have The Little Red Hen, yes."

Stone smiled. "It sounds like a children's book."

"Yes, but I want to see the details."

The librarian smiled. "I haven't seen you in here before."

"Has anyone come in here?" Rune suspected not.

"Lolita. She reads everything."

"Did she read The Little Red Hen?" Rune asked.

"Yep. It's in the morals books."

"Huh, that makes sense." Rune got the book, and she and Stone sat on a couch together and read it.

"Now I see all the work she had done on the bread," Stone said.

"Yeah, it wasn't just someone mixing flour and then creating bread," Rune said.

Then she wondered if she should read more books that had morals in them, even if they were just kids' books. She didn't even know how she and Stone knew how to read. She wondered if it was something innate with them, part of being the fae. She'd never heard anyone had gone to school, but they didn't live with anyone, so maybe it had to do with the goddesses who had saved them.

In any case, it was great news that they could read and could enjoy the stories. They ended up reading a few with morals, then pulled out books on sword fighting filled with pictures showing how they were supposed to fight.