Moon Born

Chapter 27

I hurried through the maze of hallways, pausing near the kitchen briefly. One of the benefits of being a wolf is our heightened sense of smell. I sniffed my way to one of the ovens.

"What are you cooking?" I asked the man who basting a slab of meat.

"Pardon?" he asked, not looking up. "You shouldn't be in here."

"I'm sorry. It just smells really good."

He finally stood, and the color in his face drained.

"I am so sorry, Princess. Forgive my rudeness!"

"Oh, it's okay! I completely intruded. It just smelled so good."

"It's a chicken dish that the Queen likes. I try to make it at least once a week."

I nodded. "Well, I think  I'm going to like it a lot too. That smells incredible."

"Thank you, Princess."

"Um, is there anywhere I can get some coffees?"

"Of course!" He turned around looking for someone. "Reuben!"

A small blonde-headed boy ran from a small room off to the side.

"Sir?"

"The Princess would like coffee. Help her."

He stared up at me, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. He nodded briefly as his cheeks flushed before ushering me to yet another room.

"Wh-what would y-you like?"

"Um, let's see. Do you know what Prince Edmond's favorite coffee is?"

He nodded his head.

"Perfect. Four of those?"

He nodded again and got to work with all of the machines before he had four cups of steaming, chocolate caramel something or others. He pilled them all high with whipped cream and extra caramel and chocolate sauce.

"D-do you want me to ca-carry these for you?"

"I think I got it. Thank you so much, Reuben. They look delicious."

The boy nodded his head and quickly scurried away. It would take some time for me to get used to the way people acted around me now. It was so weird.

I put the drinks onto a tray and left the kitchen without anyone noticing. The library wasn't too far from the kitchen. 

At least I think.

I made a few turns and ended up somewhere I didn't recognize. The hallway was dark and very uninviting.

"I don't think this is right," I muttered to myself. 

Part of me wanted to explore the darkness, but I resisted that urge and turned around finding my way to the library.

"Hey! Ellie!"

"Hey," I said quietly.

"What's wrong?" Alastair asked.

"Nothing. I guess."

"What?" Edmond asked, standing up.

"Here's some coffee. Uh, Reuben, that adorably little kitchen boy, made them. He said it's your favorite, babe."

"Yum! He's a great little coffee maker. Don't ignore the question, El. What's wrong."

"Seriously. It's nothing. I just got lost and found this really dark and creepy hallway."

"Dark hallway? When you left the kitchen did you make a left or a right?"

"I turned left."

"Yeah. We don't go back there. It's part of the old castle."