Within These Wicked Walls(14)

Esjay looked politely curious, but Kelela was testing me. Laughing at me. She knew I wasn’t beautiful, or anything close to royalty. I was nothing, at least according to her. Thankfully, I’d probably never have to deal with her again after tonight, so I took the high road and said, “I’m named after the plant.”

Not that that was true, either. I didn’t know if it was the woman who bore me or Jember who’d given me the name, but it didn’t matter—it was only a name. I could move to another town tomorrow and change it, and no one would care.

Kelela raised her eyebrows. “Lovely.”

All around us, the floors and the walls began to creak, carrying a messy rumble with them, like a cart full of pots and pans being rolled over rocks. My amulet rumbled too, and I tracked the Manifestation with my eyes from the inner wall to the outer. There were distant shatters, like pottery or glass being shaken from their proper spots. Then it was gone. It would be a tricky Manifestation to get rid of if it was going to come and go so quickly.

Kelela kissed her teeth. “You’ve been here all day and still haven’t done anything about that?”

I narrowed my eyes, but before I could answer, Magnus’s voice came from around the corner. “Are you done with the hellos? I’m starving.”

He didn’t stand to greet us or even look up. “Lovely to see you, Kelela. Esjay,” he said, managing to sound more genuine than his actions suggested. “How’s the weather today?”

Esjay pulled out the seat to the right of Magnus, and Kelela settled herself down, like a roosting hen trying to get comfortable. “You live in one of the hottest places in the world, Magnus.”

“Then why is it so cold in here?” Kelela asked. “When we have such a capable debtera on the premises?”

The number of insufferable people who could fit in one house was beginning to feel unrealistic.

Before I could pick a seat Esjay pulled the chair opposite Kelela out for me. The last thing I wanted to do was sit beside Magnus or across from his elitist girlfriend, but it felt rude to decline when it was clear Esjay was the only one in the room who meant well.

“Thank you,” I said, taking my seat.

A bowl was passed around to wash our hands, and then everyone reached into the big plate of food at the center of the table. Luckily dinner was nothing like the mush I’d had this morning. Instead, it was more of the delicious food we’d had last night.

I vaguely heard the three of them chatting, but all I could focus on was the injera. I tore off a large piece of the flatbread, still hot from the oven in my hand, and my mouth watered instantly. I tore a smaller piece to scoop up some tibs and spiced rice, stuffing it in my mouth, nearly fainting as I chewed. The beef was tender, hot butter running down my throat with the first bite, and just the right amount of heat in the spices to set my tongue tingling. There was no crunch of sand or dirt, only seeds and spices. I sighed contentedly as I took my time chewing. Last night I’d been too hungry to truly enjoy what I was eating. It had been a necessary lifesaver, then. Tonight, it was a heavenly experience.

“I’m glad you like my food, Andromeda,” Magnus said, a slight grin on his face.

“Poor girl,” Kelela added, her tone melting with disingenuous sympathy. “You eat like you’ve never tasted food in your life.”

“It’s a compliment to the chef,” said Esjay, swallowing before continuing. “Peggy sure can cook. I feel like this is the best meal I’ve had all day.”

Peggy had made this? Not likely. She had made the mush this morning, but she wasn’t capable of this. She was a dull, soulless human being, and it was clear she couldn’t season food if you paid her.

“You’re either younger than we think or malnourished,” said Kelela suddenly, without questioning it. “You can’t be any older than eighteen.”

I took a moment to swallow my giant mouthful—no one was going to shame me into not eating everything on this plate. “I can, actually,” I said simply.

“Still, you’re incredibly young to be a working debtera. You can’t possibly have had enough experience to be any good.”

Esjay placed his hand over his sister’s briefly. “Andromeda has an excellent résumé, Kelela. If she had been on the official list she would’ve been the first debtera I would’ve contacted.”

He smiled at me, as if bestowing a compliment.

“Not on the official list?” Kelela squared her gaze at me, her shock as fake as her hair color. “So, you’re unlicensed?”

Poor sweet Esjay, with his cursed good intentions. All he’d done was given Kelela more ammunition to use against me. “My skill speaks louder than a piece of paper could. Magnus can vouch for the stairs I cleansed this afternoon.”

“I have yet to see anything remarkable,” Magnus said, knocking a candle off the table like an attention-starved cat. I felt a vein in my temple tic.

“You’ve started work already?” Esjay asked, wiping his hand on his cloth napkin. “We haven’t gone over the contract.”

“I read it over last night,” I said, looking down at the candle Magnus had knocked over. It was still lit, somehow, but the flame stayed on the wick, rejecting the hardwood floor. I suppose it wasn’t the weirdest thing I’d seen in this house. “The terms are fine.”