Culinary King 2 by Logan Jacobs

Author:Logan Jacobs [Jacobs, Logan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-08T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

“This is the cook responsible for the drink in the silver cup,” the servant replied.

Part of me was amused that he’d worded it like the drink was a mistake that I’d agreed to own up to.

“I was told you wanted to meet me, sir,” I said.

“But– but–” he spluttered.

“You made the drink?” Mistress Semeresk asked me.

“I did, ma’am,” I replied.

“Ohhh, in that case…” She held out her hand to me, and when I took it, she squeezed it gently. “I am sincerely grateful to you, Journeyman. What is your name?”

“Henry, ma’am,” I replied.

Even inexperienced as I was with gauging the ages of the different races here, I could tell that Mistress Semeresk was very young. She had big blue eyes and long flaxen hair plaited in two heavy braids that were wound around and pinned to the back of her head. She was extremely pregnant, and even through the heavy, embroidered velvet robe she wore, I could see she must be very near her due date. Her cheeks were flushed and rosy, and she smiled at me with a sweetness that was so genuine, I couldn’t help but smile back at her.

“Henry,” she said. “The drink was perfect. Thank you.”

“A human!” Master Semeresk barked. He was an older dwarf with a red beard and mustache streaked with gray. Even by dwarf standards, he seemed stout, and he had fiery purple eyes that scowled at me as he leaped out of his chair and snatched his young wife’s hand away from me. “Why were we not told that we had a human on the Journeymen staff?”

“Maybe because they didn’t want to upset you, dearest,” Mistress Semeresk said in a calming tone.

“Upset me?” he shouted. “Why would I be upset? I’m not upset!”

“Of course not, dearest,” she soothed.

“I won’t stand for this,” he blustered. “A human under our roof? And cooking for us? And not only cooking for us but during a festival? And not only during a festival but when my beloved wife is in the most vulnerable state of her life? What in the gods’ name has a human been feeding us?”

“You enjoyed the steak, darling,” Mistress Semeresk said. “And the pancakes this morning. You were very complimentary. And you did enjoy the drink as well.”

“No I did not,” he huffed. “At least, not that much. I knew there was something afoot when I saw that silver cup. I should never have allowed a team of people into our kitchen without personally vetting them myself.”

“You trusted Seothan’s word,” his wife said gently, but there was a thread of authority in her tone. “And I think that was a good choice. We would never have enjoyed such bounty if you had thrown out the human straight away.”

“I don’t want a human’s bounty!” he shouted.

“Well, I do,” Mistress Semeresk declared, and she smiled at me. “I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that drink, Henry. You must tell me what was in it.”

“Poison, no doubt,” Master Semeresk grumbled. “Or rats. Or manticore flesh.

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