Chapter 13: Alkan - Fated to the Night King

"She didn't say anything?" I waited for Gus to finish stirring whatever delicious concoction she had in the pot in front of her, all while issuing quick directions to the staff that reported to her. The woman could've easily led an army with the way she kept everyone on task in her kitchen. No one lazed about or wasted time. Everyone had a job to do and did it well. All under the watchful gaze and gracious smile of the woman who was now pointing a clean wooden spoon at me.

"That girl is so hurt she could barely sit up long enough for me to feed her. You think I was going to have her waste energy on telling me the story of her life? I talked enough for the both of us and if that's how it needs to be for now, that's how it will be." She leveled the spoon at my chest and poked me with it. "I know kings have their secrets, sir, and far be it from me to ask you to spill yours here in my kitchen, but I'll have you know that I'll not be spying on people for you. I feed the people here and they have to trust me."

"I'm not asking you to spy, Gus. But this woman might be dangerous for us all. I'm trying to determine the best course of action when it comes to her." I held the cook's fierce gaze and gave her my most genuine smile. "You're a good judge of character. You always have been. I trust you to pick up on things others might miss."

"Danger to the Night Kingdom? Sir, that scrap of a girl I saw couldn't hurt one of the baby wrens that Sheppard's boy is caring for in the barn. Give her some time to recover and we'll see what kind of teeth she has then. But for now, she needs good food, good sleep and more of the healing Danvers doles out."

"Nothing changes the rule I put in place. Anyone with need can shelter here for that time. If she chooses to stay, though, Gus, she'll be subject to the same laws that apply to all of us. And if she swears the Oath and becomes part of our Court, if she endangers anyone because of her deception, you know what the punishment has to be."

Gus poked me again with the spoon. "Should it come to that, I'll not question your judgment then. But until that time comes, she's a wounded woman scared out of her mind and needs a real friend. I'll be that for her, just like I have for all the others that have landed here along the way."

"That's fair." I gave her a gracious nod, spinning out of the reach of the spoon as I snagged one of the cookies off the rack where she had them cooling. "I'm off to do horrible things to people now, Gus."

Her laughter echoed off the stone walls of the cavernous kitchen and there was no mistaking the smiles exchanged among the crew that followed the cook's orders.

"Steal more of my cookies and I'll do horrible things to you."

I grinned to myself, then popped the sweet bite into my mouth. The mix of oats and chocolate was perfectly balanced, and I silently thanked Fate that Gus found her way to the kingdom's gates when she did. It's amazing how decent food made a difference when you needed to govern people.

Gus loved it here and she loved the people within these walls even more. If there was a hint of betrayal from the new patient, she would tell me. Of that, I was sure.

But I was also bound by the promises I'd made about sanctuary. I couldn't throw someone out just because I thought they were likely to turn traitor against us. The commitment we'd made to provide help when needed hadn't been conditional and it had gradually softened the way many of our neighbors saw us. It had been the politically expedient thing to do. It had enabled us to establish trading treaties that were already proving lucrative.

I also believed it had been the right thing to do.

Sanctuary was free.

Committing to the Court with our Oath was not.

And violating it came with severe penalties.

Ones I wouldn't hesitate to enforce if I found evidence that my people were being put at risk by this woman.