I'd never gotten to stay in a hotel before—even if it were attached to a casino. An electronic voice woke me in the morning, after asking me what time I wished to rise the night before. Delvin was pounding on my door before I was finished cleaning up. He handed several suits of clothing, shoes, toiletries and other items to me when I opened the door.

Delvin was trying to patch things up with me, but I wasn't having any of it. I was barely civil as I thanked him. I know, I shouldn't anger him—he was the only one who knew I was female and held my life in his hands, or at least my safety. Regardless, Lendill and Norian now knew who the traitor was.

"You think to teach me how to cook?" The day cook, Kiasz, had arms folded angrily across his chest.

"No, Master Kiasz," I bowed respectfully to him. "I am only here to prepare the evening meal for Lord Arvil, at his bidding. His kitchen is undergoing renovations, so he instructed me to come here. He is expecting only the best from you as usual," I did as much flattering as I could.

"Don't get in my way," Kiasz snarled and moved aside. I made preparations to make the slow-cooked rib roast. I watched it carefully too, throughout the day, beginning vegetable preparations when it came closer to the dinner hour. Master Kiasz glared triumphantly at me when Arvil ordered his midday meal from Kiasz directly. It mattered not to me. I just didn't want the pompous day cook to ruin what I was making. Silently I thanked Aurelius for taking away the need to visit the facilities.

I'd gauged Arvil's evening meal very closely, and the plates of food were served at a long table inside the kitchen, just as it had been the night before. Xiri had come on duty, but Kiasz had stayed to see how things went. The tender rib roast was served with sauce, buttered squash and longbeans with a leafy salad after. Dessert was oxberry puff tarts—I had no idea how they'd gotten oxberries but I wasn't going to argue. Xiri accepted his plate with a huge smile. I respectfully asked Kiasz if he were hungry, hoping that this wouldn't turn into another episode like the one I'd experienced with Master Cook Wyn.

"The sauce is incredible," Xiri didn't waste time voicing his opinion. Kiasz had a frown on his face as he ate—that is until he tasted the dessert.

"Boy, I know not who taught you to cook, but he must have been a master," Kiasz was eating more of the oxberry tart.

"He was," I hung my head.

"His father had too many sons, so this one was turned out," Arvil was enjoying his food and gloating over his new prize.

"How many sons did your father have?" Xiri was curious.

"Twenty-seven," I answered truthfully.

"Mercy," Kiasz muttered. "We will gladly accept the surplus. How old are you, boy?"

"Nineteen, but the physicians say I will always be small."

"That's why his father turned him out; he was the runt of the litter," cruel-mouthed wizard pointed toward me with his fork.

"As you say," I ducked my head. I learned then that Master Cook Kiasz had no love for that particular wizard—he began to treat me well from that moment on. Xiri, too, wanted to learn what he could from me, so he befriended me as well.

I kept wineglasses filled and handed out a second round of desserts to all of them. Arvil and his wizards were quite full and slightly drunk when they rose from the table to leave. "Re, be in the kitchen at my home tomorrow morning—my contractor wishes to speak to the cook about where everything should go. And another meal tomorrow evening will not go amiss. Inform Delvin, here, if it will be from this kitchen or the one in my home." Arvil walked out, followed by all the others except Delvin, who handed me a chip necklace.

"This will get you through the gates and allow you to purchase small things such as treats and haircuts," Delvin informed me. I hadn't looked at my hair lately—it was depressing to do so. I nodded—he was telling me to keep an eye on it and not let it get very long. "I'll be in the kitchen tomorrow morning, so you can let me know then what you want to do." Delvin walked out after the others.

"I will clean this up," I sighed in Xiri's direction and went to stack plates on the long table.

Xiri shouted at some of his night help, who came quickly to do it for me. Kiasz patted my shoulder and left—he was just as weary as I was and looking for his bed. I left right after he did—I wanted a shower to clear away the smells of the kitchen. I also took the last bit of the roast with me—Xiri packed it up and gave me a bottle of wine to take with me.

"That smells delicious." A man spoke to me as I rode up the elevator to my room. He was elderly—his hair was white and thinning.

"There's enough for two—are you hungry?" I lifted the bottle of wine. I might have never done something like that, but I didn't feel anything bad from this one. We ended up sharing a meal in his suite—he was wealthy, I could see that right away.

"You cooked this?" The man was astounded over that fact. "The wine is perfect with it, too."

"Yes, Master Griffin." That was the name he'd given.

"Well, Re, should you ever need employment," he handed me a card.

"I will keep this," I said, putting it into a jacket pocket. I left shortly after, picking up the boxes and disposing of them on my way out.

"She's fine, father, stop fretting." Griffin folded into Wylend Arden's study only a little while later. "I had dinner with her earlier. As long as they don't know she's female and as long as she keeps them happy with her cooking skills, she'll be fine."

"Son, I realize the logic in your words, but the heart doesn't hear those things very well."

Chapter 5

"Master Arvil's contractor will be here shortly." Three men were inside the kitchen when I arrived after walking from the casino the following morning. The one I spoke with was short with dark, curly hair. He wasn't much taller than I and I learned he was Oldam the plumber. The other two were cabinet workers—I was getting new cabinets, in addition to the appliances. Oldam showed me that he'd replaced the water line to the dishwasher, installed water filters and softeners and had replaced the faucets, fixtures and the sink. A new stove and dishwasher were already there, too, I saw.

"Does the stove work?" I asked.

"Yes—we had it done last night," Oldam replied.

"I have a chip to buy new dishes and pots and pans," another man walked in, dangling a credit chip in his fingers. I stared, I couldn't help myself. Dark eyes studied me as I gaped. He was more than handsome, with a straight nose, a strong chin and a sensuous mouth. He looked to be in his late twenties, but I was hopeless at gauging anyone's actual age. He was taller than Ry but not as tall as Tory—but then very few were as tall as Tory.

"Some of the old things will still work," I muttered. I couldn't take my eyes off him, for some reason.

"Too late," he grinned, making me catch my breath. His smile would turn any woman's head, I think. "I dumped that junk yesterday," he said, continuing to smile at me. "If we leave now, you might get enough to do dinner tonight," he added.

"Call me Teeg," he said later as we wandered down aisles in an exclusive shop that sold high-end pots, pans and dishes. I watched him walk—he was unconsciously graceful, moving fluidly, like a jungle cat might while stalking prey. "And money is no object." He was grinning at me again. I almost forgot that I was to behave like a nineteen-year-old boy. His smile was melting something that was better left frozen.

"This," I stopped at the stainless-steel cookware. One of the brands available was manufactured on Tulgalan and considered one of the best. I was used to working with it. We pulled everything I needed off high shelves with help from the sales staff. We also got two cast-iron skillets in different sizes, cooking utensils, two sets of dishes and glassware, fine crystal wineglasses, drinks glasses and a multitude of aprons, kitchen towels and supplies. The total was staggering when we were done.

"Only the best for Master Arvil," Teeg grinned at me again. I couldn't help it—I smiled back at him. "That's better," he said. The store was delivering our purchases, so we went to find something to cook at a nearby grocery. I think I will always remember that day with Teeg—the top of my head came midway on his upper arm and he smiled at me often, his white teeth flashing in a grin at times as he asked me about this thing or that.

He was dressed nicely, too, in a charcoal knit shirt and black slacks with matching boots. The fingers on his hands were long, well-shaped and accustomed to hard work, I could tell. His dark hair curled slightly and was cut and styled very well. It made me worry about my own makeshift haircut that had left barely a finger's width of white hair on my head. Perhaps I'd find a barber, just as Delvin urged me to do.

"I'll come by to speak with Master Arvil about what else needs to be done," Teeg said after we dropped the food purchases in the kitchen. "You want a work island, don't you?"

"Of course I want an island," I muttered, lowering my eyes. No need to show him my disappointment that he was leaving.

"I found some natural stone that would go well on top of your island," he was smiling when I looked up at him again. "There's enough of it to do the countertops too." I nodded mutely at his suggestion. He walked with silent grace out of Arvil's kitchen. I think I stared at his back the entire time he walked away, disappearing through the kitchen door after a few ticks. The same thought kept racing through my brain as I watched him disappear from view. How was he here on such an outpost of criminal activity? How?

"Re can have what he wants within reason, including an assistant," Arvil was happy with his veal dish. He and his wizards ate with good appetite as Arvil spoke with Teeg. "Xiri has already asked to spend some time over here."

"What do you want, Re, besides an island and new countertops?" Teeg was grinning at me as I poured more wine for Arvil.