Of Caverns and Casters ✓ [TLRQ #1]

Chapter 28 - Sean

A servant boy hurries up to him, a folder tucked under his arm. "Sir?"

He spins on him. "What now?"

"Lady Veradeaux says she wants you to handle these reception arrangements."

"Reception? We've never had a reception before. I swear, every year she makes these things more and more elaborate. We're stretched thin as is." He snatches the folder from the boy's outstretched hand. Pulling out a pen, he flips through the pages, scribbling notes as the work continues around him.

Considering that interrupting him when he's writing is probably better than when he's mid-yell, I stride up to him. "You're the steward, right?"

He glances at me. "Scat."

"I'm going to take that as a yes." I drop the letter onto his stack of papers. "Recommendation from Marcí Dae."

His head turns sharply. "Who exactly do you think you are?"

"Your soon-to-be employee." I smile.

He scowls. "Wipe that smirk off your face and get out, or I'll call the guards."

Smirk? That wasn't a smirk. As I open my mouth to argue, Riveirre steps around me. "Sir?"

An exasperated growl escapes through his teeth. "What?"

She freezes. Great, Riveirre. Way to lose us our chance at this job.

Then she speaks, slow yet purposeful. "You seem busy."

He coughs out a strangled laugh. "That's an understatement."

"We can help."

"Oh?" he sneers, amusement shining in his eyes. "You think you can oversee this lot of idiots, deal with all the paltry paperwork pushed at me, and see to Lady Veradeaux's growing list of demands while we don't have manpower enough to deal with them? That's what you think you can help me with?"

"No, but—"

The corner of his thin lips quirks up. "Well, then." He starts to turn, and something catches his attention. "You idiots! I told you to take that stupid pot out of here, not drag another one in. Where are you even getting these? Take them out!"

The men shuffle out of the room with their burden.

The steward glances back at us. "As the young lady so eloquently said, I am busy. So, once again, leave or I'll have the guards escort you out."

"Wait," I say, catching onto Riveirre's logic. "Didn't you just say you don't have enough people?"

He sighs, calling to a servant, "Go get some guards."

One of the workers nods, setting down the chair he'd been carrying, and hurries off. The steward returns to his paperwork, moving the letter to the back of his folder, and walks toward the dais.

I circle in front of him. "Hold on a second! You're shorthanded. Then hire us, and for the sake of all that is logical in this world, stop trying to throw us out! We'll tackle anything you can throw at us. At the very least, we can't do any worse than the idiots already working for you."

His eyes continue skimming the words on the page. Then a sly smile curls his lips. He meets my gaze. "You know what? You're right. And I have just the job for you. Emmrick!" A servant's head snaps up. "Show this man to Master Heizer. He's been requesting a new worker for ages."

The boy hurries over to me, gesturing toward the door we came in. "It's this way."

"Hold on. What about her?" My thumb jerks toward Riveirre.