What is Hidden by Skidmore Lauren

Author:Skidmore, Lauren [Skidmore, Lauren]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Published: 2014-05-13T00:00:00+00:00

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SIXTEEN

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After my first night as a server, there hadn’t been any repeats of unusual attention from the prince. However, that didn’t mean I’d gone completely unnoticed. On one night, one particular guest had received far too much wine, through no fault of mine.

About three quarters through the meal, he raised his cup and loudly asked, “Where’s my wine gone?”

As I hurried to refill it, wondering how on earth it was empty already—I’d filled it not five minutes before—he threw an arm around my waist and exclaimed happily, “Here’s something finer than wine! Can I drink you up?”

He laughed boisterously, and I politely declined and pulled away.

He wasn’t having any of that, though.

“What’s that?” he shouted, growing agitated. “You would rather not? No one ‘rather not’s’ me! Now see here, miss—”

I started to panic, memories of flames and smoke flashing across my vision, but before he could even finish his sentence, or threat, or whatever it was going to be, Vera stepped up with a guard.

The guard loosened the man’s hold on me, only for my arm to be captured by a barely controlled Vera.

“I think it’s time you head up to bed, my lord,” the guard suggested gently, looking pointedly at the man’s companions. They guiltily ushered their friend out, knowing full well that they could have stopped the show if they’d wanted.

I didn’t dare look up, feeling instead the dozens of stares in my direction. I’d gotten so used to being invisible in this room that having this much attention was extremely unnerving. I felt vulnerable and exposed, and my stomach twisted in knots. I was almost grateful when Vera dragged me back into the kitchens, silently commanding another girl to cover my station with a pointed look.

Once safely behind the kitchen doors, she lit into me.

“What were you thinking?” she hissed. I flinched. “Getting so close to a patron, it’s disgusting. And letting his cup run dry? Have you learned nothing? You have one simple task, and you can’t even complete it?”

I opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me off.

“Don’t even think about talking back to me. How dare you! I can’t believe it.” She paced angrily in front of me, looking like a jungle cat stalking her prey. She had a wild look in her eyes, and I braced myself for whatever way she chose to lash out at me.

Stopping in her tracks and spinning around to point at me, she delivered my unjust punishment. “Since you can’t seem to keep a cup full, you’ll just have to become more familiar with the dishes. Perhaps after washing every one tonight, you’ll remember what a full goblet is supposed to look like.”

“All of them?” I cried out, horrified. There would be hundreds—I’d be here all night! Which meant I would miss my time with Aiden. And if I wasn’t in my room, he’d worry. And who knew what he’d do then?

Vera grinned, clearly pleased that her punishment was causing me such distress. I wanted to slap that stupid grin right off her skinny face.

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