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I lay down on the bed, not expecting to sleep with my mind in turmoil.
22
Viva
When I woke,the sun was already up. I sat up and stretched, looking around carefully to see if I was still alone.
I was. So far.
"What does a girl need to do to get a meal around here?" I muttered under my breath.
That was followed almost immediately by a knock on the door.
"If that's room service, someone is reading my mind." I was impressed, but disconcerted.
I walked to the door and opened it a crack, enough to see Dex's servant, Baffor, standing at the door with a tray in his arms.
Hades, yeah, mind reading for the win, I thought.
"Excuse me, miss," Baffor said. "The kitchens sent you up some food. I hope this isn't a bad time."
I opened the door wide. "No, it's a perfect time." I smiled, partly to put him at ease, and partly because I was happy to see a familiar face. A harmless one, if a bit grouchy.
"Please, come in." I stepped back and gestured toward the table.
The moment he stepped inside, I closed the door behind him.
"How have you been?" I asked politely.
"Fine, miss," he replied. "And you?"
"Not too bad." After a moment, I added, "Have you seen the Keeper? Is he okay?"
"Um, I…" Baffor looked at the floor. "I have. He is… well. As well as can be expected, under the circumstances." He turned nervous eyes toward the door.
"So he's alive." I exhaled in relief.
"Yes, he's alive." Baffor said.
The words ‘for now’ hung in the air.
I nodded. We had no real way of knowing how long that might last.
"Are you okay?" I asked. "This can't be easy on the staff."
"I'm—" he glanced toward the door again "—keeping busy."
I interpreted that as him keeping a low profile and doing what was necessary to also stay alive. Wise move.
"I don't suppose you can take me to see Dex?" I asked. "Or Bain? I don't know if they're being held together."
"They are." Baffor cleared his throat at realising he'd replied so quickly.
"I mean, I took food to the Keeper. They were together and… Well."
I eyed him sideways. "But?" I prompted.
He looked at the door like he half dreaded it opening and half wished it would.
