23
A Valuable Hostage
Amlinn chopped six carrots at once into round pieces, scooped the bits into the waiting pot, and reached for another bunch. She welcomed the mindless, repetitive action. It took her mind off everything that had happened to the Freefolk, might have happened to her grandfather, and could be happening in the kingdom.
In the month she’d been trapped in this culinary prison, only rumours of events in the city had reached her. A week ago, lightning had flashed and thunder cracked out of a clear blue sky, startling her into dropping an egg. That had earned her a cuff on the ear from Kestra. Later, the other kitchen maids spoke in awed whispers about the successful test of Denthold’s mighty weapon. That evening, they had to prepare a special feast, and she learned from the
