Demon Revealed (High Demon Series #2) (10 page)

That's how I was allowed to see the guards surrounding Arvil
San Gerxon's home, which was every bit as large as the Prince's palace on
Mandil. A very high wall surrounded it, I discovered. We were led through a
narrow gate, and a huge casino was revealed once we passed the high walls
surrounding Arvil's mansion. Lights flashed and glittered around The San Gerxon
I; it fronted a sandy beach and an ocean beyond that. I might have liked to go
and watch the waves washing up on the beach in the moonlight, but I was commanded
to cook instead.

"Master San Gerxon," the cook on duty bowed to his
employer as we walked into his kitchen. We were seeing the night cook, as it
was quite late when we arrived. The day cook would likely be better and more
highly paid.

"Don't worry yourself, we have a cook with us—seems my
kitchen needs updating, so we'll borrow yours for now." The cook didn't
like it, but acquiesced to Arvil's wishes, standing aside and bowing us through
with as much dignity as he could muster. He watched carefully too, as I took
stock of what he had and then quickly prepared the same fish I'd helped Harding
make on Le-Ath Veronis.

When night cook Xiri got a taste of what I'd made—I let him
have a bite when I poured sauce over the fish on nine plates—he closed his eyes
and sighed with pleasure. "Master, we could sell this for many credits in
your best restaurant," Xiri exclaimed. I made a small plate of food for
him after serving the others.

"Re, teach him how to make it," Arvil waved a hand. He'd
tasted the fish, just as the others had. Arvil also had a communicator in his
hand after his fourth bite, telling someone that he wanted his kitchen completely
updated, beginning the next morning. He offered to pay extra if it were finished
quickly.

"There, Re—you will have a working kitchen soon. Meanwhile,
I think we'll put you up here in the casino until the kitchen's finished and
you will cook for me when I am hungry."

"I will, Lord. Some of my best dishes take time to
prepare, however. I will start one tomorrow morning, and finish it once you let
me know when you wish to eat your evening meal."

"That sounds reasonable," Arvil grinned. "Is
there more wine?" I poured more for him and topped off the glasses of the
other wizards, Delvin included. I barely looked at him as he was served. How
thankful was I that he hadn't learned I had mindspeech? If he'd known, he would
never have brought me here—he might have tried to kill me instead. That talent
was a double-edged blade, in every sense.

* * *

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.

"An assistant to prepare breakfast would be nice," I
said. "That way I won't be spending all day every day cooking."

"Then ask for a day off," Teeg suggested. That
stopped me cold.

"You may have eight-day off—I have dinner with my casino
managers on that night," Arvil said. "And only worry about dinner
unless I ask for something else the day before. This veal is excellent. Is
there any more?" Arvil got more veal. Teeg left after a while, leaving
Arvil and his wizards to finish their dessert.

* * *

If I'd thought Arvil San Gerxon was a benign autocrat who
liked his meals, I was shown something different the following day.

"You let it slip, didn't you?" Arvil's assistant was
standing in the kitchen and cringing as Arvil shouted at him. The cruel-mouthed
wizard and Delvin were also there as I worked out a menu for the following week.
The cabinetmakers faded from the kitchen quickly. I started to leave but Arvil
barked for me to stay. "You need to learn, boy, just how things are around
here," he snarled. Arvil nodded to cruel-mouth, who lifted his hands.

Even I didn't expect the assistant to scream as he burned
alive. I think I dropped to the floor in the corner where I stood while the
poor man screamed out his last and died on the kitchen floor. "Clean up
the mess," Arvil shouted at Delvin afterward. I stared at Delvin in shock.
He'd willingly given himself to this, and dragged me along with him. He didn't
even look at me as he and cruel-mouth dragged Arvil's charred, former assistant
away. I hadn't even learned what it was the man supposedly did to earn a death
such as this.