by Sarah Noffke
“You say the Castle, when it’s acting normal, is able to manifest anything you all desire?” Bermuda inquired, looking between Evan and Sophia as they took their seats.
“Actually, it lavishes Pink Princess with whatever she likes,” Evan grumbled. “Some of us don’t get that kind of special treatment.”
“Only jerks who say bad things about the Castle,” Sophia spouted.
“Well, some of us are stuck up little do-gooders who think manners are important,” Evan fired back.
“And some of us—”
“Why yes,” Hiker interrupted Sophia before she could make her jab, “these are dragonriders who are mature enough to preside over world affairs. I realize you might have mistaken them for children.”
“What did the fisherman say to the card magician?” Mama Jamba asked, laying her napkin in her lap and looking around the table.
Hiker rubbed his temples, shaking his head. “Oh, no. Not you now, Mama.”
“Pick a cod, any cod,” she answered with a laugh.
Both giants exchanged unpleasant expressions.
“What?” Mama Jamba protested, looking at the unlaughing faces. “We said we were going to exchange bad jokes at dinner tonight.”
Liv trotted from the kitchen carrying a large silver platter. “Dinner is served.”
“Oh, I know who will win the bad joke contest,” Bermuda said, looking at Liv as she laid the Beef Wellington on the table.
The warrior offered the giantess an amused grin. “You know you love my jokes.”
“I never even get them,” Bermuda retorted.
Liv held out her hand, presenting the Beef Wellington. The pastry was the perfect toasted shade of brown, and the savory smell wafting from it made Sophia’s stomach grumble with anticipation. “I have been slaving away all day, and now you all can enjoy my efforts.”
Clark pushed through the kitchen door, carrying various dishes. He shook his head at his sister as he laid them on the table. “Taking credit for my work again?”
She nodded and tucked into the seat next to Sophia, where Wilder usually sat. He wasn’t present though…not that she had noticed as her eyes darted to the entrance.
Ainsley materialized in the doorway right then, a tired expression on her face. “Why does it smell like something died in here?”
Mama Jamba pointed to the Beef Wellington. “It was a cow, and I think it’s been dead for a while.”
“Ainsley,” Hiker said in his commanding tone. “You need to eat. Get in here and take a seat.”
“But sir,” the housekeeper argued. “I’m certain the magician poisoned the food. I can’t eat it in good confidence.”
Hiker cut into the Beef Wellington, raising an impressed eyebrow when the knife slipped through easily. “You mean like when you served us all poisoned food that only Quiet ate, making him deathly ill?”
Ainsley scowled at the Beef Wellington like it had offended her simply by existing. “I don’t remember any of that happening.”
“Oh dear, Clark,” Mama Jamba moaned, taking a bite. “These mashed potatoes are the very best thing I have ever tasted. What is that secret ingredient?”
“Salt,” Clark said. “Lots and lots of salt.”
“It will make your fingers swell,” Ainsley warned, crossing her arms stubbornly in front of her chest.
“But it makes food taste better,” Clark argued.
“Enough talk about the food,” Hiker ordered, although he already polished off half his plate. “What is the update from everyone?”
“I’m feeling much better, sir,” Evan said. “Thanks for asking.”
The leader of the Dragon Elite rolled his eyes. “I don’t care, Evan. I was referring to the work our guests are doing to help us.”
Evan scoffed. “Oh, fine. Maybe I will just go work for the House of Fourteen.” He gave Liv a meaningful expression. “Do you value the warriors and councilors who work with you?”
She shrugged as she crammed a bit of fresh baked roll into her mouth. “Not really. I mostly berate them and make sarcastic remarks.”
Evan threw his arms in the air melodramatically. “Is there no humanity anymore?”
“Be quiet, Evan,” Hiker told him, looking directly at Liv. “I think the strategy session went well. Are you comfortable with what we laid out in case of an attack?”
Sophia glanced between Hiker and Liv. She couldn’t believe he was talking to her sister like she was a normal human and not grumbling at her as he did with the dragonriders. He said their planning strategy went “well.”
“Yeah, I’m good with that,” Liv answered, giving herself a second helping of mashed potatoes.
Clark was right about the salt. It was what was missing from most of Ainsley’s cooking. The housekeeper wasn’t touching any of the food, so she might not taste the difference to be able to compare. Even though Hiker had ordered her to eat, she seemed persistent in refusing. Hiker showing concern about Ainsley eating and keeping up her strength was a first. She was also sitting at the table with the others, which was nice but also different. It seemed right.
Sophia reminded herself that back in the day, before Ainsley’s “accident,” she had been a regal advisor for the Dragon Elite. Like what Liv had done with Hiker that day, Ainsley used to advise on strategy. That association had led the elf to be front and center in a deadly battle with Thad Reinhart. She had jumped in front of an attack meant for Hiker, and her entire world had changed forever—but she knew nothing of it.
“And you giants?” Hiker asked, looking between Rory and Bermuda, who looked awkward sitting in chairs meant for dragonriders, but they were sturdy and built for bigger people than most furniture since riders sometimes came in larger sizes. Not the current generation, Sophia observed, thinking of Wilder and Mahkah, but Hiker and Evan were larger in size than average magicians.
“Their names are Rory and Bermuda,” Rudolf supplied, bouncing beside the table, taking bites of his food as he stood, rather than sat. There was little way he could have sat with Captain Kirk and Captain Silver strapped to his front and back sides. “I have trouble remembering their names too. I get it.”
“Bermuda delivered your children,” Liv reminded him.
“Who?” Rudolf asked, looking around confused. His gaze landed on the giantess. “Oh, her. Yeah. And great job except Captain Silver’s face is still sort of mushy from being extracted.”
“Birthed,” Bermuda harrumphed.
“You say birthed, Serena says evicted,” Rudolf related. “Potato, tomato.”
“That is not how the phrase goes,” Liv corrected.
“Fine,” Rudolf said, rolling his eyes. “Tomato, potato.”
Liv shook her head. “Rory, were you able to secure the Gullington?”
He didn’t appear confident. “Not entirely. This area is much larger than what we are used to guarding.”
“Well,” Mama Jamba informed them, licking her spoon clean of mashed potatoes, “you will have to do the best you can because when I go to bed tonight, the security measures I have been using to secure the Gullington will come down.”
“Mama, really,” Hiker begged, a rare pleading quality to his voice. “Can’t you keep them up a bit longer?”
She shook her head. “No, son, I can’t. I need my beauty sleep, and holding up the Barrier keeps me from sinking in deep to REM.”
“You created this entire planet, yet you can’t help out your Dragon Elite for another night?”
She shrugged unaffected. “I created the Dragon Elite to help me, son. Not the other way around. I did take pity on you. I bought you time, and look at you! I never thought it possible, but you brought in help, and I’m sure the giants will be of great use as well as the House of Fourteen. Or you will get them all killed. Who knows?”
Hiker shook his head. “You probably.”
She toggled her head back and forth. “Maybe. Hard to tell. I’m not really focusing on the future right now since this Beef Wellington is demanding
all my attention.”
Ainsley let out a frustrated sigh, picking up one of the fresh rolls and angrily tearing into it.
“And what are you still doing still, fae?” Hiker asked, looking at Rudolf.
The king didn’t seem to know he was being spoken to directly. He just continued to sway, chewing on his bite as he held his baby to his front and patted its backside.
“Ru,” Liv said, prodding her friend.
“What? What?” Rudolf asked.
Wilder and Mahkah both rushed in right then and halted at the sight of all the weird characters gathered around the table.
“Come in and grab a seat.” Hiker waved them in. “These are Sophia’s…friends. You can do introductions later.”
Sophia darted her eyes to Mahkah’s finger. There was no way anyone could have been able to tell it had been regrown using magic. She was happy he was back to normal.
“Sorry we are late, sir,” Wilder apologized as he took a seat next to Rory, giving him a curious expression.
“No one noticed,” Hiker said dismissively.
“Rudolf is here because we are going off on a mission tomorrow first thing,” Sophia answered the leader of the Dragon Elite’s question.
“Right,” he said, drawing out the word. “Then he’ll be gone, and no more babies in the Castle.”
“Not for a little while,” Mama Jamba sang, all her attention on the food she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying.
Clark, intuitively reading the tension on Sophia’s face, stood suddenly. “I hope you all saved room for cake. I made chocolate.”
Evan threw down his napkin, a wide smile on his face. “About. Damn. Time.”
Ainsley cast a rude glare at the dragonrider. “Just remember that when I recover, and I will, you will need to sleep with one eye open. It won’t matter, because all my attacks on you will be covert. You will be waiting for me to attack your front, but you will have no idea you are sleeping on sheets washed in poison ivy.”
Evan pushed away from the table. “On that note, I’m moving out of the Gullington.”
Chapter Ninety-Three
Everyone knew Evan wasn’t moving out of the Gullington, even the new friends who had joined to help in the interim. It was obvious Evan wasn’t “move out” material. He was a permanent resident of the Gullington, as were all the Dragon Elite riders.
Once the Gullington was secure once more and the housekeeper and groundskeeper recovered, Sophia was going to go after those evil pirates who had stolen one of her dragon eggs. She would make them pay—that was a guarantee. She also had to satisfy the question of why they wanted the dragon egg.
It was common knowledge in the magical world dragon eggs were extremely valuable. When they once had to transport Lunis’ egg, poachers had come out of the woodwork to try to steal it. The thieves had a way of locating the eggs, and that had led them to the Gullington when the Barrier went down.
Sophia got the idea there was more to it than just monetary value for Trin Currante. This was a woman who had been altered, escaped the Saverus organization, and then brought it down. Sophia didn’t think Trin Currante was after riches. There was a very specific reason she had gone after a dragon egg, and once Sophia had a chance, she was going to figure it out.
For now, there were too many other things calling for her attention, namely the Gullington and keeping it safe and the mission ahead to help Quiet.
Liv ran her hands over the Castle’s walls in Sophia’s room, taking in the details as the sun set over the Pond through the darkening windows. “I like the rustic feel mixed with the modern flare.”
Liv pointed to the television and pink bean bag chair in the oversized bedroom. Those items did seem out of place next to the antique furniture and canopy bed. For now, everything was back to how it was before the Gullington went through whatever happened to it. The furniture had been repaired, and the walls were no longer crumbling, but when Mama Jamba went to sleep that night, her protections would come off the Castle and the Expanse.
It was impossible for any of them to know if what had happened before was a fluke or if it would happen again without the protective wards. It was clear Ainsley wasn’t any better, although she wasn’t getting any worse, and the whole thing was making her very irritable.
Only time would tell what would happen to the Gullington and its staff when Mama Jamba’s protections came off. The giants would help keep things in balance, but their power was nothing compared to Mama Jamba’s, obviously. Hiker mostly wanted their help with securing the Barrier. They weren’t powerful enough to keep the Gullington hidden when the time came, but if they could hold the Barrier, that would be something at least.
A lot was about to happen, and she was frustrated she wouldn’t be there to help. She and Rudolf would be leaving first thing in the morning to retrieve Quiet’s father’s captain’s hat. The timing was awful with Mama Jamba taking her protections off the Gullington, but it had to be done. Quiet was getting worse. No one wanted to say it, but everyone knew the truth, he didn’t have long. Sophia needed him to take the antidote, which meant he had to give her his real name.
She shook her head, wishing things didn’t have to be so difficult, and he would just tell her his name and be done with it. She also knew if he was being so stubborn about giving up his real name, it was for a good reason. One she longed to understand.
Mother Nature and Mae Ling had been adamant about getting Quiet to take the antidote. Sophia thought the groundskeeper was the only one who knew how to fix things for the Gullington. Or at least he was key to this whole complex situation.
What Sophia had confirmed out of all of this was no one really knew much about the Gullington. The more Bermuda Laurens asked questions, the more Sophia recognized Hiker didn’t know how to answer most of them. He pretended he was trying to keep things secret, but she thought he didn’t know the answers, even after almost five hundred years. The mysterious Castle that had cared for the dragonriders all these centuries had kept its secrets well.
Mama Jamba was probably the only one who knew the truth about the Gullington, and everyone knew she wasn’t talking. Quiet might also know, but even if he could talk, no one would know what he said.
“Do you like it here?” Liv asked, a playful tone in her voice.
Sophia folded a pair of pants, having done her own laundry for a change since Ainsley and the Castle were out of commission.
“Of course, I do,” she replied.
She looked around fondly, trying to tame her reaction. This was a diplomatic moment. Sophia wanted to be honest with her sister, who she was closer to than anyone besides Lunis. She wanted to gush about how much she loved the Castle and enjoyed returning to the Gullington after each mission.
She also didn’t want to hurt her sister’s feelings. Before coming to the Gullington, Sophia had lived with Liv, and it had been fantastic. Liv had provided a great home where Sophia felt safe and could thrive. It wasn’t that there had been anything wrong. It was just, the Castle was better for Sophia.
Sophia thought her sister would understand. Liv had to know the House of Fourteen, and Sophia’s old life wouldn’t fit her anymore. She would never resent Sophia for moving on.
“The Gullington is my home now,” Sophia began, holding back her expression and watching her sister carefully.
Liv nodded and swallowed. “Yeah, I figured. It suits you.”
“Who would have thought?” Sophia remarked. “Maybe it’s the age of the Castle or the history or the fresh air. I don’t know.”
Liv gave her a suspicious grin. “I have learned it’s less about where you live and more about who you live with. That is what makes a place feel like home.”
Sophia shook her head. This was what she wanted to avoid. “No, if that were the case then—”
Liv held up her hand. “I love you, Soph. And I know you love me. But you are a dragonrider and being around your own, that is what makes sense for you. They get you, and you have your dragon here. Lun
is couldn’t live with you when you were with me. This place should be your home. You know the old expression?”
“Home is where your dragon is?” Sophia joked.
Liv laughed. “I was thinking more along the lines of, ‘Home is where the heart is.’ But yes, ‘Home is where your dragon is’ works for you too.”
“Well, it’s true,” Sophia lamented. “Having Lunis here changes everything.”
“What I don’t get is how these guys all survived for centuries without you,” Liv wondered.
Sophia gave her a confused expression. “Why would you say that? They did fine without me.”
Liv laughed abruptly. “You might think so, but my meeting today with Hiker, well, he let something slip.”
Sophia put her clothes away, trying to hide her curiosity. “Oh?”
“Yeah,” Liv said, hiding a grin.
“You might have read into things,” Sophia offered.
“I might have,” Liv agreed. “You be the judge. He said to me today, ‘I’m not sure how we got along all this time without Sophia.’”
Sophia dropped the clothes she had been folding. “No. You misheard him.”
Liv shook her head. “How often do I mishear people?”
“Well…” Sophia thought. “You don’t.”
“He realizes what Trudy DeVries, the seer, saw about you long ago,” Liv told her, revealing information she’d had yet to share with Sophia.
“Why haven’t you told me about this premonition?” Sophia asked, wanting to be angry, but knowing there was no point in it. If Liv had kept something from her, it wasn’t for any reason other than she hadn’t had a chance to share it with her.
Right on cue, Liv shrugged and reached across the bed to help fold some of her laundry, even though she did a bad job of it. Liv’s strong suit had never been household chores. “I just haven’t had a chance, Soph. Anyway, Trudy told me you would bring much-needed balance to the Dragon Elite. I think Hiker is starting to feel that. He might have resisted your presence here before because you challenge him on every level, but that is part of what he needs.”
