To Seduce An Assassin (The Omaja Series Book 2)(21)

“Ow!” Jiandra laughed and tossed the pillow back at her. “Someone has to keep your head out of the clouds.”

“You wait. Yavi will notice me.” Graciella looked down and pushed her breasts up into her neckline a bit. “I will just keep wearing this same dress until he does.”

“Oh, I’ve no doubt he’s already noticed you. And your cleavage. It’s hanging out for all to see, whether they want to or not.”

Graciella giggled, then threw the pillow at her sister’s face again. “Stop being so selfish with the Zulfikar twins! You’ve already got one; let me have the other one if I want, you old hag!”

Jiandra dissolved into laughter. “All right, fine. I may be an old hag, but you’re a little tart.”

“I am a little tart.” Graciella leaned back, raised one knee to prop the heel of her boot on the edge of the cushion, and flung her arms out wide, along the back of the couch. She fixed half-lidded eyes on Jiandra’s amused face. “Oh, Yavi,” she crooned. “You’re so sweaty from your sword practice. Come here and let me dry you off.”

The library doors opened. Graciella sat up straight and adjusted her skirt back down around her ankles, then took a prim sip of tea as Yajna strode in.

Jiandra stood and hurried to greet him. “Yes, my love?”

“Yavi and I are riding to the barracks to see the Army generals about sending bandit patrols. We’ll be back by dinnertime. I’ve instructed Shandri and Kitran to prepare dinner for eight o’clock.”

Jiandra gave Graciella a quick glance, then turned back to Yajna. “That sounds good. Safe journey, husband.” She tiptoed up to give him a quick peck, and he swept her into his arms, planting a passionate, too-long-in-front-of-an-audience kiss on her lips.

When he released her, Jiandra stumbled back a little, then swiped at the corner of her lips with her pinky. “All right, then. See you later tonight.”

“Gracie.” Yajna bowed to her.

Graciella smiled innocently at him.

Once he was gone, Jiandra shut the double doors and leaned back against them, closing her eyes. “I love how he kisses,” she confessed.

“Me too, and I’m just the spectator.”

Jiandra chuckled. “Let me get someone to rekindle the fire and refresh our tea. Back in a moment.”

Graciella nodded. Once her sister was gone, she pulled off her boots and curled her legs up under her on the sofa, then laid her head on a pillow propped against the high back, yawning. She needed a nap, but after she had rested, she would make the best dinner Yavi had ever tasted. She would have it ready to greet him when he arrived back at the palace tonight.

§

Graciella changed into a plain white muslin day gown, found an apron from the cook’s closet and tied it around her waist, rolled up her sleeves, and set to work searching through the burlap bags, wooden crates, and barrels in the larder for ingredients.

Jiandra stood in the doorway, fidgeting. “Can you make a decent dinner for twenty-five people with what we have in here?”

“Well, these onions have gone bad.” Graciella held her nose and lifted up a burlap sack.

Jiandra took the bag from her. “Tinni! Come take these onions and dump them on the scrap pile in the garden.”

A young man appeared to carry out her orders.

“I found some lovely leeks, though.” Graciella lifted a wooden crate from the stone floor, and carried it into the kitchen. “We’ll grill these with oil and a little lemon, and—ooh, is that a jar of currants?” She reached under the work table and scooped up a jar filled with dried red berries.

“Yes, I think so. Our currant bushes did well last summer.”

Graciella looked around in the larder for flour. “Do we have eggs? I can make currant buns if so.”

“Oh, I… Kitran, do we have eggs?” Jiandra called out over her shoulder.

“I don’t think so, Your Highness, but I can check the henhouse again.”

“No matter—I’ll make a quick bread instead.” Graciella searched for cinnamon. She found that, then handed Jiandra a sack of potatoes. “We’ll boil these, and roast these carrots… Are you growing any rosemary here, by chance?”

“Yes, I think there’s a rosemary bush in the solar upstairs.”

“I’ll make a savory lentil pie for the main course, then.” Graciella set the crates and bags of vegetables near the worktable. “I’ll need all these vegetables washed and chopped.”

Jiandra turned to a serving girl who stood nearby. “Wilten, you work with Miss Grace. Do whatever she tells you.”

The silver-eyed, platinum-haired girl smiled and nodded eagerly. She barely spoke any Villeleian, but she understood Graciella’s demonstrations and hand gestures just fine. With the additional help of Jiandra and Kitran, they soon had two huge kettles full of potatoes and lentils boiling, several trays of carrots coated with oil and sprinkled with herbs, sweet currant bread baking, and the leeks washed and sliced lengthwise.

Graciella wiped her hands on her apron and smiled as she watched her helpers work efficiently under her supervision.

Just wait until Yavi gets home.

§

Yavi left his horse at the stables, then entered the palace and strode through the Great Hall on his way upstairs to change for dinner. The glorious aroma of bread baking assailed his senses. It smelled heavenly, and made him realize how hungry he was after a week of the meager meals he and his staff had been scrambling to put together.