When Given a Lemon

Part 30

As the cooks returned to the other room where the big ovens are, I was discretely scrutinizing the layout of this room in order to determine the chances of getting away with a couple of loaves for me and Lemon to munch on without them noticing. I even shuffled up next to one of the tables where I could feel the heat from them rising up with their rich smell.

Then Denyel sabotaged my plans by bringing everyone's attention over to me by calling my name. I of course wasn't expecting it, even though I had followed him this way, so naturally I jumped a mile out of my skin like a guilty child.

Well, this is awkward. I try my best not to look guilty.

It's a good thing I had hesitated before reaching out to grab one of the loaves or it might have been much worse! Stealing food meant going without dinner if you were caught! Or worse, flogged then going without dinner!

“Heh, hello.” I wave, pretending that’s why my arm was halfway stretched out. Feeling a little bit like an idiot, like a Lemon. They always wave at everyone and now I'm finding myself doing it! I cringed inwardly, tucking my arms behind my back. I had to drop them to my sides when it pulled on the bandages still plastered against my back.

It was then I took stock of who all was currently inside the tent with us. I hadn't paid any attention to them once the hot bread came into view beyond registering that silhouettes of people were caught up in their own discussion.

In addition to the handful of kitchen staff setting out the steaming breads, Denyel and Wilo stood by the far end of a long table with another who's back was turned to me. Whoever they were, they must be closer to my height because they stood at least a head taller than Denyel. They had on an oversized coat and a bulky hat that was not particularly flattering. But that was the only thing that counted against them, or so I thought when they turned around to look my way along with everyone else.

“Ah, Keenah,” Lieutenant Wilo waved me over. My stomach grumbled in dismay, not liking this change of plan but I mentally shushed it before stepping forward. Wilo gestured toward the unknown person. Up close their skin was the color of burnt honey, eyes a nearly matching hue. I shook their hand, suddenly eager to get their name, to hear their voice; curious if it would also remind me of honey.

“Who's this?” Lemon pushes into the kitchen to stand next to me, observing the person with a tight lipped expression. I swear, I haven't been able to find them anywhere, then suddenly they just appear as if they never left, pushing their way into everything that’s not their business!

“This is Cayeol, he'll be joining your squad as of today.” Cayeol gave a nod in greeting. “He’d just arrived today with another team from Berrypond.”

Berrypond was a city closer to the capitol, separated from my home region by the Reaches in the north and the Beyyers in the south; two mountain ranges that collided where their tails crossed at the center of our continent. “He and Denyel had worked together in the past, assisting with the tunnel excavations project.”

Ah, that makes entirely too much sense. A mental image of Denyel with a pickaxe, single handedly carving the huge tunnel that dug through the ranges and connected the two sides of the continent together filled my brain. The image is a little silly and I have to force myself to keep a straight face.

I nod and give the new member of our team a small smile in greeting.

Where the mountain ranges overlapped an ancient river had once naturally formed a winding path that later was buried, tunneling far beneath the earth before drying out or being diverted elsewhere as the eons passed. The dried riverbed is what they had excavated. It had been made larger and the walls and ceiling reinforced to create a safe highway between the two sides of the continent. Since it's completion there has already been an improvement in communication and trading between the regions. The road was even complete with guards and technicians patrolling it and its waystations erected for weary travelers to rest in.