Chapter eighteen

Lana

The dining room exudes the delicious aroma of freshly cooked dishes, each carefully prepared for the Hart family dinner by Celia, their housemaid.

With my unsolicited help, a large, barbecued wolfsbane-infused chicken takes center stage at the table, surrounded by side dishes—mushroom risotto, roasted vegetables, and a savory stew with chunks of tender boar meat that I heard from Celia that Phillip hunted a day ago.

I sit at the head of the table as the royalty in their midst, glancing around at the new faces I met today before my eyes fall on Katarina, who’s sitting right beside me.

She can’t eat solid food yet, but she insists on joining the dinner, so I put together a nutritional liquid concoction to aid her liver’s healing process. I took advantage of Grand Healer Hart’s healing garden, to seize some dandelions and artichokes, and add garlic and honey to the blend.

Silence shadows the dining as we begin to enjoy our meal. Unlike back in my house where laughter reverberates wi