The Lost Knight (Volume I)

Chapter 36: Goodbye

The birds are singing so loudly I can't think. Albína shouts the command that shuts them up, and everything goes quiet. I take a couple of deep breaths to get my thinking straight. That's an awful way to wake up. I look for Jonah, but he's gone. He must have carried me to bed after I fell asleep.

"Is there a volume control on those things?" I ask Albína.

"They do seem a bit loud. I'll read the instruction manual this afternoon and see what I can do. Sir Jonah is taking you to breakfast, so you need to get dressed," she says in the singsong voice that means she has a surprise for me. She pops into the closet and returns with a pair of black pants and a long black sweater almost identical to the one I wore here.

My heart leaps almost as far as I do when I jump out of bed and nearly land on her. "It's perfect! Thank you, Albína."

I hug her without thinking and then feel the fabric of the lightweight leggings. They're made out of the same soft fabric as most everything here. The sweater is a heavier knit, but it's also velvety soft.

I race to the bathroom and grab the jars of colored powder. "Please show me how to do this so I don't have to be waited on," I ask, pulling a scoop of the green powder out of the jar. I love baths, but I don't like having to ask permission before taking one.

"That's too much." She grabs my hand and shakes out the appropriate amount. "Now, sprinkle that in, and another. Be careful with the yellow. It has a tendency to spill and is difficult to clean up."

I throw the powders in the tub and applaud when it fills with water. I want to know how they do that. And how do they get it to the right temperature?

"A quick bath. We haven't much time if you want to see your demon before we go," she says before closing the door behind her.

I do as I'm told, but I don't have time to dry my hair. Albína is appalled that I'd let others see me this way, but I want enough time to visit with Lenox.

We wind our way around the castle. It's only my second day, but I'm already learning my way through the maze of corridors. When we reach the rooftop, Lenox has his head happily buried in a large bird. He reluctantly looks up and sends Albína scurrying back and slamming the door behind her.

He walks over to me, but I stop him because his mouth is covered in bird goo and feathers. "Now this is just gross," I explain while wiping off his mouth with a rag I found in the supply box. Lenox stands still for his grooming until I'm satisfied with my work. "There. Now you're back to your old handsome self."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, Lenox does his inspection. He doesn't like my wet hair. He smells it for a long time and then tries to eat it.

"I just washed that. Don't be getting bird guts in it."

He stares back at his meal.

"All right. I only wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you okay?"

I wish he could talk, because although he can understand me, I haven't a clue what he's thinking.

"Go eat your breakfast. I'll be back to check on you later."

He wastes no time returning to his meal and I retrieve Albína, who's hiding inside the doorway.

"I thought you were starting to like him."

"I'm trying, Miss," she answers while fixing my hair.

Jonah meets me at the entry to the castle and escorts me to a pub in the village whose name translates to 'The Brewer's Daft.' Dathid is already waiting out front, and when we walk in, it's quiet and practically empty. The elves keep a strict schedule, and breakfast is over.