Burning Key

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Adeena's mood the following morning was lighter and more hopeful than she'd ever been before. She was smiling all throughout the time she was getting ready, showering, magically drying and styling her hair, and as she dressed in a flowy light blue dress with ruffled sleeves. A little more formal than she would usually wear, but she needed to make a good impression on the whole of Ayveri since she knew their plans of exploring the capital city later that day.

She caught herself lightly humming on her way down to the kitchen, her good mood projecting outward was she turned the corner of the archway. Almost immediately, she found everyone staring. The long rectangular table situated along the wall of windows looking out to the back courtyard was almost full. Lyv, Jai, Thia, Gideon, Mik, Allel, Kalla, Laurel, and Michel were sitting on one side, all looking up at her in various positions as they began eating breakfast. On the other side, Cleo, Milena, Eamon, and Archer were just sitting down with full places of food. The only two standing at the counter were Dessa and Elys, though little Lenora was hanging on to Elys's back with her arms secured around his neck.

"Good morning!" Adeena smiled brightly, strolling over to Dessa and Elys.

"Morning," Elys grinned back as he moved to let her grab a plate. He held two in hand, one for him and one for the three-year-old attached to him, and made his way over to the table.

Dessa was smiling at her as she finished piling food onto her plate. "Get whatever you want. Drinks are on the table. Tea kettle is on the stove if you want any."

"Are all breakfasts always this elaborate?" Adeena asked, looking at the spread along the counter and the few more trays of food on the table.

"Only when we have this many people to feed," she laughed, taking a bite of her jam-covered toast. "Usually it's very informal."

Elys snorted as he put both plates down at his spot, then reached behind him to pull an upside down Lenora around to his front. "So informal that stealing each other's breakfasts is done. Right, kid?" he grinned at the three-year-old.

Adeena and Dessa both finished grabbing what they wanted for breakfast while the conversations at the table started back up. As they made their way over to everyone, Adeena sat in the chair between Cleo and Elys while Dessa sat on his other side between him and Milena. Lenora was wiggling happily in Elys's lap as she stabbed a big bite of pancakes with her fork.

As Adeena began eating, the conversations began again as everyone else did too. She was just happy to finally have an appetite after barely touching her dinner, eating more food than she had in a while. Everyone noticed, smiling at her enthusiasm when she went back for seconds. More pancakes, another spoonful of fruit, a second cup of tea...

A tug on her dress had her looking down, finding little Lenora at her right, holding her clean plate.

"Miss Adeena, can you get me more fruit, please? I can't reach it and Elys got it for me last time."

Adeena couldn't help her bright smile as she set her plate down to grab Lenora's. "Of course, sweetie. Do you want anything else?"

"Nope!" she said happily.

She made sure to get her an assortment of everything – berries, grapes, apple and orange slices. When she handed it back to her, Len's eyes went wide as she smiled brightly, thanked her, and went back to where Elys sat. The male was talking with Dessa, Cleo, Lyv, and Jai, but stopped everything as soon as Len was back. He helped her put her plate on the table, then sat her in his lap again without even thinking about it. It didn't take someone who knew them well to notice the look Dessa gave him as the action. Pure love shined out from her eyes and her smile before she could stop it. Everyone saw it before she was able to reign in her expression...including her father.