The canteen was alive with activity when Lance entered the following morning, but none of his friends were there. When he approached the window to take up his breakfast from Janice, he found Peter and Ariana both toiling away among the kitchen workers. Ariana, situated in the passe, was screaming at the hot line cooks to get their shit together, while Peter was behind the line helping someone who looked on the point of tears. The cook was young, probably having just made a choice of his own path, and he looked as if he was regretting his decision already.

  He took his food and navigated the aisles in search of a familiar face. Sami was usually here by now, getting her first meal in before her shift in the armory started. It was odd, her not being here, but then he supposed with the influx of orders from the military and the occasional nobleman, she had probably made quick work of eating before departing to start her day. Lord Halan might even have ordered his charges to show up early.

  “Hey!” Ben waved him down his place at a table near the back.

  Smiling, he walked over to join him.

  He was seated at a table with a portly, jua woman. The woman was perhaps a handful of years older than Ben, and wore a stony, unreadable expression as she set eyes on him. Her tray sat untouched in front of her, and she steepled her fingers, her elbows resting on the tabletop. She did not welcome him as he sat down.

  Ben embraced Lance in a half hug when he was seated, and made the introductions.

  “This is my friend Rashanna.” He said. “And Rashanna, this is Lance.”

  “Your new boyfriend.”

  “I…” Ben winced. “I don’t know if we’re there yet.”

  “I don’t either.” Lance said.

  “But we’ve been seeing each other.”

  “I gathered.” Rashanna said tonelessly. “You fuck him yet?”

  They exchanged a look.

  Rashanna nodded. “Okay. So how long is this one gonna be around—“

  “Rashanna!” Ben said. “Don’t mind her. She’s always like this.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  She patted buoyant curls, a sly grin cracking her teeth. “I am who I am. And I won’t apologize.”

  “No one asked you to.” Ben said. “Rashanna works in Lady Jain’s office. She’s on the reception crew, too.”

  “I might see you around then.” Lance said to her. “Lady Tamalsen assigned me to it.”

  “I doubt it. I won’t be at the ceremony. I’m stuck on the setup crew, getting things ready for her heinous to receive the lord emperor.”

  “You mean her highness?” Lance asked.

  “I said what I said.”

  “Rashanna isn’t a fan. She’s had to work around Queen Meredith before.” Ben explained.

  “She’s a cunt.” Rashanna added.

  “I thought Ariana would be somewhere around. Or Sami, I guess. Peter usually works the mornin' shift, doesn’t he?”

  Lance shrugged. “They alternate. They’re both in the kitchens right now, though. I haven’t seen Sami either, but she probably just decided to get an early start. The armory has been—“

  “The Pits.” Rashanna cut in. “So I’ve heard, anyway.” She tucked into her breakfast. “Half the noblemen in the palace have been submitting orders to have old breastplates let out and polished up. I bet they think they’re gonna impress our guests, but I think they’re gonna look like idiots.”

  “They usually…look like idiots.” Lance agreed. “Especially Lord Bran.”

  “The lush.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Where’s your girlfriend, anyway?”

  “Alesha?” she shrugged. “We broke up last night. I might get back with her tomorrow. I needed a break.”

  Ben snorted. “You could just leave her for real this time.”

  Rashanna laid an ambivalent side eye on Lance. “He hates her.”

  “She’s such a bitch.”

  “I guess it’s too bad I decided I love her then. You’ll just have to deal with our whirlwind romance until she decides she’s had enough. And who knows when that’ll be.”

  “Lesbians.” Ben groused. “Takes five minutes for them to get together, and five years to break up.”

  So, how long have you two known each other?” Lance asked.

  “I’m gonna go.” Rashanna said. She climbed off her bench, picked up her tray. She had only eaten half of her food. She carried it away, leaving them alone with each other.

  “Is she okay?” Lance asked.

  “She’s just kind of like that.” He said. “It’s what I love about her.”

  “And this Alesha person?”

  “Just rubs me the wrong way. That’s all. They fight like cats and dogs, break up every other week. I think they do it because it keeps things spicy, but I end up in the middle of it a little too often.”

  “Hopefully Sami never ends up like that.”

  “She doesn’t really do relationships, does she?”

  “No, not so much.”

  “So, I’m thinkin’ I’ll ask Lady Therien if she can place you with me for the reception today. I think she’ll bite.”

  “That would be nice.”

  “Do you…not want to—“

  “No. I mean yes. I do. If I can. I just don’t know how that’s going to work with the headaches.”

  Ben grimaced. “Right. I forgot. Maybe its best if—“

  “No, please ask. I can handle it. I want to.”

  “Okay. I should be going though. The emperor’s coming next week and Lady Therien’s been heapin' the work onto all of us lately. It’s just goin' to get worse until he gets here.”

  He gave Lance a peck on the cheek.

  “See you later?”

  “Tomorrow?” Ben asked. “I’ve got plans with Rashanna tonight.”

  “Tomorrow.” Lance agreed.

  Ben took his tray and left.