Page 50 of Claim the Light
“As long as they’re not burned,” I say, drawing a sharp look from her. I give her a sweet smile in return.
Micah pulls up the chair opposite me. He hasn’t said a word. Simply leans back with his arms folded across his chest, eyeing Beatrix as she turns back to Isaac and they continue to snipe at each other.
Micah seems increasingly amused by their interactions, but he wipes his expression clean when Beatrix plonks two plates onto the table, each containing bread that smells heavenly fresh and two large eggs sunny side up.
“Don’t expect me to cook for you every day,” she snaps. “I’m not your maid.”
“Thank you, Beatrix. This looks delicious,” I respond meekly, drawing a deeper scowl from her.
She suddenly twitches and spins back to Isaac. “I won’t have to kill any farm animals, will I?”
He shakes his head, appearing deadly serious. “We don’t eat meat. We only take produce from the animals like milk, eggs, and honey. Our bread is made from a special wheat plant that sheds its own, large kernels, but I’ll show you how to gather them and grind them into flour.”
Beatrix exhales a sigh of relief, but then says, “Honey? As in bees?”
“Don’t worry. These creatures are known as ‘humblebees.’ They’re extinct in the outside world. And they don’t sting.”
“Well, that’s probably why they’re all dead,” Beatrix says wryly. “Survival requires sting.”
Again, Isaac arches his eyebrows at her, but it’s a gentler expression this time. “Does it?”
Beatrix scowls at him before she continues gruffly. “In my experience.”
“Hmm,” is all he says.
As they continue their back and forth, I focus on my food.
The size of the eggs makes me wonder if they belong to a bird much larger than a chicken. Either way, they’re delicious.
When I’ve finished eating, Micah inclines his head at the door. I’m surprised to see leftover food on his plate, but that could be because of the cerulean-blue, apple-like fruit he ate on the way up the stairs. Maybe the apples are more filling than they looked.
“C’mon,” he murmurs. “Let’s get back to training.”
I feel bad about leaving all of the farm work to Beatrix and Isaac, and I say so, but Micah gives a shake of his head. “We’re here for your training.”
We head back to the combat room and spend the rest of the day there. Micah eases up on teaching me combat skills, instead focusing on my understanding of weaponry, including how to care for my weapon. We start with daggers, but Micah tells me I should try out a different type of weapon each day—not for the purpose of mastering it in a single afternoon—but so that I can find my blade of choice.
By the time we return to the kitchen for dinner, I know two things: Daggers are definitely my thing, and I’m exhausted.
Still, I ask Isaac to show me how to use the kitchen appliances, and I insist on cooking the meal, roasting vegetables in the oven and frying enormous mushrooms in butter.
When I serve up the food, Beatrix eyes her plate with skepticism. I guess, just as Isaac never pictured her feeding farm animals, Beatrix never pictured me preparing a proper meal.
She takes the first bite while I hold my breath.
“Well, fuck me,” she says before quickly digging into the rest. “Since when can you cook?”
“Since forever.” I shrug. “I was expected to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.”
Beatrix pauses then gives a soft sigh. “I’m sorry.”
Again, I shrug and then begin eating.
“I appreciate this meal, Sophia,” Isaac says. “But please don’t feel you have to prepare food for us every night. I’m happy to do it.”
“I want to,” I reply. “It’s nice to have a family to cook for.”
Opposite me, Micah has also paused, but his expression softens. “Tomorrow, I can help.”
