Page 36 of Infernal Bonds

“So, you know how I’m stuck here?” She laughed when I frowned at her choice of words. “I mean, you know Cornaith told me I had to live here because we bonded. I’m not saying I don’t want to.”

“Okay.” I brushed her skin with my thumbs. “I want you to be happy here, not feel forced because we love each other. Anyway, tell me.”

“So, I’m here for the foreseeable future, and Cornaith said my living expenses are covered, so there’s no need for me to get a job. And I don’t really know anyone to do much else. The way I see it, I’ll be stuck in this house going stir-crazy within the first month without anything to do.”

I wasn’t sure if the others had given it any consideration, but I’d failed to grasp just how little we’d offered her here. I didn’t want her to feel isolated and unfulfilled.

“I was thinking,” she started, dragging out the last word. “Maybe I should take you up on your offer back on Earth.”

“My offer?”

Her shoulders slumped. “You forgot? The palace chefs.”

“Oh!” I laughed, shaking my head. “No. I remember that. So you want to work with them?”

“Well, something. You said I could get lessons and stuff, right?”

I slid my hands up to settle on her hips. “I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”

“I was thinking, since not all the ingredients are like on Earth, it’d be a good time to learn new stuff and improve old recipes.”

I smiled as she continued telling me about all the foods she enjoyed making on Earth and the ones she hadn’t been very good at.

“I know a couple of chefs who’d be happy to meet you. I’ll speak with them before patrol and find out when you can come by.”

I knew they’d let Rae into the kitchen to watch them craft meals and snacks. If she wanted lessons after seeing them work, I’d ask.

“If all goes well, maybe they’d let me work in the kitchen,” she said, giving me a smile that took my breath away.

I hadn’t seen her this excited about anything since our first meeting, nor had I understood how important her passion for cooking was to her.

“You want to work there? Or do you mean use the kitchen there?”

“Cornaith said I didn’t need a job,” she muttered, her smile fading. “It’d be nice to work there—or somewhere, eventually. I wanna do something more than make home-cooked meals.”

“I think the council would be okay with you helping create new recipes or assisting with events when you’re not expected to attend as our escort.”

“You think so?”

“I’m sure we can make it happen.” I kissed her forehead. “I want you to enjoy your life here, Rae. If cooking is what brings you joy, we’ll find a way to make it work.”

I didn’t want to steal her independence just because we’d bonded.

She needed something more than being surrounded by the four of us.

“Anything you want me to ask them when I talk to them?”

“If they have information on the ingredients they use and what kinds of dishes they make with them, that’d be great. I could get a heads-up before I meet them.”

I smiled. “I can ask.”

“Oh! And ask them about what I can do with that squash.” She glanced at the vegetable in question on the counter. “I wanna do something with that big boy.”

Chuckling, I leaned in and kissed her.

I couldn’t wait to watch her explore and savor what our world had to offer her. Maybe someday I’d take her to the northeast where the palace chefs learned their craft. I had a feeling she’d love seeing the facilities there.

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