The Wright (Friday Updates)

Errand

Likely, the others in the locked drawer were prophecies as well. What if they could tell me who the new King or Queen would be? Would there be a war? Did it mean he would step down to an heir?

Letting out a shaky breath, I willed my eyes to focus and began reading, jotting down notes at the front pages where I could reread them safely.

Someone did enter, though it was a few hours later, the door closing behind them.

"Are you cold?" The king's voice swept over the skin of my neck, exposed, and I rose. "If it is keeping you warm, you may wear it," he said, a hand raised to stop my action of removing the garment.

"I apologize," I trembled, anxious from my sneaky actions before his arrival and because I was still chilled. "The balcony doors were open and the fire is out."

"I will relight it. It was my mistake. The cold does not bother me and I often forget to put wood in it." He strode into his bedroom and I heard his footsteps pause as he observed that I had fixed the sheets. Then logs clanked and the metal prod was poking at the half-dead embers to get them to flare once more. "Have you found anything?"

"Er...no. Unfortunately, not yet." I looked at the page of script with a frown.

Kinnut returned and eyed my stack of books. "The autobiography will not have anything useful. I should know. I wrote it myself," he chuckled.

"You did?"

Nodding with an easy smile, he plucked the small book from the stack and returned it to the shelf. "If you want to know anything about my life, you may simply ask, you know."

"I supposed it might lead to something else, like organizations that opposed you or a villain I could research."

"Interested in joining?"

My face flushed scarlet, unable to handle the easy bickering that Toddy excelled at. What if he meant it? Was I giving such an impression? "I just wondered who would have use for something called a Soul Tap other than someone trying to mimic a Wright's abilities. I could be mistaken and it could be a leeching tool or even something to heal with."

"It is a valid hypothesis. Did you learn about the glome traps?"

"Yes. Fraghie slime mixed with any insecticide will work."

"Wonderful. I was just heading to lunch. Would you like to walk with me?"

He must have known I was going through his stuff. I quickly removed his cloak and placed it over the chair as I had found it, taking the two books that he had not commented on and adding them to the laundry basket. "Alright."

He held the door for me and I carried the load downstairs, parting with him at the mess hall so the linens could go to the wash. The books I kept near to my chest.

The next two days passed quickly. I researched without pause and brought meals to the king with no cause to apologize and no tardiness. My confidence of the castle and its routines grew and I began to think I might excel at the job after all.

"Ah. Clia. You're here. I have had something made for you for our trip today," Kinnut said, handing me a bundle of fabric after I set his breakfast on his coffee table.

A little surprised, I stuttered out a thank you and opened it while he wolfed down his porridge. There were two articles of clothing folded neatly inside. The first was a modest dress with a scooping neckline and short sleeves in a fine, silky material. The edges were embroidered with silver and the stitching was high quality. The other was a cloak that matched his own with fur lining the hood, fancy embroidery, and a silver clasp of his insignia that told whomever we were meeting that I was part of his party.