andles, sending the room into near darkness. The light from the little
fireplace hardly reached the bed, and cast several nice shadows that concealed
his deceit. Nico was quite pleased with himself.
He slipped out of the suite by the servants' stair, and started down the back
corridor in the direction of the huge kitchens. Even at a distance, he could
hear the clamor of pot and pans, the shouting of the head cook at her minions,
all in preparation for the meal to be served. Then he heard someone coming
toward him and he darted into the first doorway he found, his heart hammering
with excitement. It was very dark within, and from the smell of it, he was in
the stillroom. After a second he heard footfalls pass the door, and knew who it
was. Just one of the lads who turned the spits
