help but stare at it.
“Just put the basket there.” Mary pointed at the nearest worktop. “Thank you, Aaron.”
Aaron carefully put the basket down and turned, wiping his hands down his jeans as he glanced around. “This is...some kitchen.”
Mary turned to smile at him. “You impressed?” she asked. “You can tell you’re from the human realm, if this impresses you.” She shook her head, chuckling.
Aaron decided not to comment. “What’s next door?” he asked.
“The bakery.” She pointed to her right. “And the cold room.” She pointed to the left.
“Cold room?”
“Yeah, you know, to store items?” She knelt to take a humongous pot from the shelf. It was big enough to bathe a baby in. “There’s a chiller in there, to store ice cream and such.” She turned to Aaron with a grin. “I make the best raspberry ripple ice cream.”
“You must do a lot of cooking,” Aaron remarked, throwing the monster stove another look.
“It’s all I do.” She brought the pan to the stove. “It’s my first love.” She carried the basket over. “I’ve been living in Salvador for,” she paused, eyes turned upwards as she worked through a mental calendar, “twelve years now, and that’s all I’ve ever done. It’s like my life’s mission is to feed everyone.”
“You’ve been here twelve years?” Aaron asked.
Mary’s smile faded. “Yeah, twelve years.” She picked up one of the eggs, holding it in her hands. “I was fifteen when...when they came.” Her voice dropped. “My sister was sleeping in the next room. They killed my parents, slaughtered my brother while I slept.” Her face fell, her eyes shadowed. “I woke up when they went into my sister’s room. I heard her screams and ran to her but...but it was too late. They...they had already...” She shook her head, blinking up at Aaron with moist eyes. “When I came here, I was alone. I mean, I felt alone.” She put the egg into the pot. “Neriah always lectured that we are one – a family, bound by our powers and bloodlines.” She picked up the other eggs from the basket and, one by one, placed them gently into the pot. “But at the start, it’s always difficult to think of strangers as your family.” She turned to smile at Aaron. “Now, though, I know what he means. I consider all mages a part of an extended family that I have to take care of by feeding.”
“You cook for everyone?” Aaron asked.
“Yep.” She carried the empty basket over to the worktop, replacing it with the one Aaron had brought.
“Do you...uh...want any help?” Aaron asked warily. He was terrible at cooking, couldn’t make toast without burning it, but he felt bad for her. She was all alone, left to cook for everyone.
“That’s okay.” She sent him another smile. “I have my happy helpers. They’ll be here soon. Although, they aren’t that happy to help.” She shrugged. “But they’ll be here, so don’t you worry.” She gestured to the door. “You go and relax. I’ll have breakfast ready before you know it.”
***
Aaron walked outside to find more people on the street. Several had taken seats at the table, and a few were crowded around the open doors of the cottages. He spotted his mum and dad seated at the table with Drake. As he made his way down the path, Aaron felt rather than saw stares shift focus to him. Men, old and young, stared at him. Women turned to whisper to their neighbours as he walked past. It was by far the most uncomfortable walk Aaron had experienced.
“Where were you?” his mum asked, as he took a seat next to her.
“In the Stove,” Aaron answered.
“Excuse me?” Kate asked, turning to him.
“The kitchen. It’s called the Stove,” Aaron explained.
Kate only nodded before dropping her gaze to the table.
“Mum?” Aaron started, glancing at the people crowded at doorsteps, staring at him.
“Just ignore them,” Kate said, without looking up.
“But why are they staring?”
His mum didn’t
“Just put the basket there.” Mary pointed at the nearest worktop. “Thank you, Aaron.”
Aaron carefully put the basket down and turned, wiping his hands down his jeans as he glanced around. “This is...some kitchen.”
Mary turned to smile at him. “You impressed?” she asked. “You can tell you’re from the human realm, if this impresses you.” She shook her head, chuckling.
Aaron decided not to comment. “What’s next door?” he asked.
“The bakery.” She pointed to her right. “And the cold room.” She pointed to the left.
“Cold room?”
“Yeah, you know, to store items?” She knelt to take a humongous pot from the shelf. It was big enough to bathe a baby in. “There’s a chiller in there, to store ice cream and such.” She turned to Aaron with a grin. “I make the best raspberry ripple ice cream.”
“You must do a lot of cooking,” Aaron remarked, throwing the monster stove another look.
“It’s all I do.” She brought the pan to the stove. “It’s my first love.” She carried the basket over. “I’ve been living in Salvador for,” she paused, eyes turned upwards as she worked through a mental calendar, “twelve years now, and that’s all I’ve ever done. It’s like my life’s mission is to feed everyone.”
“You’ve been here twelve years?” Aaron asked.
Mary’s smile faded. “Yeah, twelve years.” She picked up one of the eggs, holding it in her hands. “I was fifteen when...when they came.” Her voice dropped. “My sister was sleeping in the next room. They killed my parents, slaughtered my brother while I slept.” Her face fell, her eyes shadowed. “I woke up when they went into my sister’s room. I heard her screams and ran to her but...but it was too late. They...they had already...” She shook her head, blinking up at Aaron with moist eyes. “When I came here, I was alone. I mean, I felt alone.” She put the egg into the pot. “Neriah always lectured that we are one – a family, bound by our powers and bloodlines.” She picked up the other eggs from the basket and, one by one, placed them gently into the pot. “But at the start, it’s always difficult to think of strangers as your family.” She turned to smile at Aaron. “Now, though, I know what he means. I consider all mages a part of an extended family that I have to take care of by feeding.”
“You cook for everyone?” Aaron asked.
“Yep.” She carried the empty basket over to the worktop, replacing it with the one Aaron had brought.
“Do you...uh...want any help?” Aaron asked warily. He was terrible at cooking, couldn’t make toast without burning it, but he felt bad for her. She was all alone, left to cook for everyone.
“That’s okay.” She sent him another smile. “I have my happy helpers. They’ll be here soon. Although, they aren’t that happy to help.” She shrugged. “But they’ll be here, so don’t you worry.” She gestured to the door. “You go and relax. I’ll have breakfast ready before you know it.”
***
Aaron walked outside to find more people on the street. Several had taken seats at the table, and a few were crowded around the open doors of the cottages. He spotted his mum and dad seated at the table with Drake. As he made his way down the path, Aaron felt rather than saw stares shift focus to him. Men, old and young, stared at him. Women turned to whisper to their neighbours as he walked past. It was by far the most uncomfortable walk Aaron had experienced.
“Where were you?” his mum asked, as he took a seat next to her.
“In the Stove,” Aaron answered.
“Excuse me?” Kate asked, turning to him.
“The kitchen. It’s called the Stove,” Aaron explained.
Kate only nodded before dropping her gaze to the table.
“Mum?” Aaron started, glancing at the people crowded at doorsteps, staring at him.
“Just ignore them,” Kate said, without looking up.
“But why are they staring?”
His mum didn’t
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