Chapter 28

• “Well, uh…” I stumbled over my words, grappling for coherence as his piercing gaze pinned me in place. But I refused to let the weight of it silence me. “That’s not a lot. There are a lot of people living in the castle now, especially with the influx of new servants. I think we should start with ten bags.”
• His smile didn’t falter, but a flicker of interest—maybe even amusement—danced in his eyes. “Then what do you think is a better number?”
• I blinked, stunned. He was asking me? My opinion? A small, unfamiliar smile tugged at the corners of my lips. The sheer oddity of it—being consulted, being heard—felt foreign but oddly gratifying. I allowed myself a moment of free thought, weighing the problem without fear of reproach.