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“On theto fool, Leala? I’m not one of them I know to keep my mouth shut The master said he’d pull off my arms if I didn’t”—his eyes widened—“and I believe him”

“You’re drunk You are a horrible gossip when you drink and don’t have a dick in your mouth,” she mumbled

“Not about theI know he got hurt saving you, and you nursed him back to life” He braced his elbow on his knee and his chin on his fist “Then what? He’s a closed book, that one I’ to kno you ended up back at the castle I honestly thought he was going to let you go, ith the way he wasthe staff half to bits The deood, at least And you did, except now you’re back Tell me, did you miss him, is that why?”

“Hadriel,” Leala said with a note of warning in her voice

“I’ll tell you everything after I get a few hours’ sleep,” I said

Hadriel runtled sound “I hate when the party has to end”

“I don’t knoith the a the brush aside andto turn down my bed

“What else do I have to do?” Hadriel stood and staggered as he put the chair back

“Help arden, for one,” I said “Playtido to help me cater to them Nyfain can’t be expected to hold this place up on his shoulders alone It’s time we pitch in and do our part”

“I suddenly think I need another drink,” Hadriel muttered as he wandered out

Later that afternoon, I did as I’d said and put Hadriel to work Nyfain had already started hiarden, with help from some of the other staff, so I let thearden on the east side of the castle, so the cook apparently took care of for the food and what little supplies Nyfain needed to add to his subpar healing remedies

“This is it?” I asked, standing at the edge and looking it over

Jessab, a round-bellied man with a white mustache and thin lips, puffed out his chest “That is all I need to make the food You want I take care of plants I don’t need so that I don’t make the food?”