“Yes.”
“Did you also go through my belongings?” Elora asked, gesturing with her head to her carrysack.
The woman glanced up at her. “I wanted to make sure that you weren’t carrying anything dangerous. As is my right,” she added pointedly, clearly as a reminder to Elora that she was a steward not simply another servant.
“Are you the head steward?” Elora asked.
The woman frowned at her. “Head steward? We don’t have that here. Is that something you had in your last lair?”
Elora nodded. “There wasn’t much of a hierarchy among the stewards, but because each of them had different responsibilities there was only one who spoke to Master rather than all of them taking up his time.”
The female shook her head slowly, pondering the idea. “That makes sense. We don’t have that here, probably because we’re not big enough. One of us will speak to our lord, it usually doesn’t matter which of us. All the stewards are equal and we make decisions together.”
“That’s not exactly true,” Elora said, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice. “The other steward implied you would be finding quarters for me. And you put me in a cell instead.”
The female steward fingers slowed as she unwrapped Elora’s bandages. “He was making a suggestion, that’s all.” She held Elora’s gaze. “You may feel that I mistreated you by putting you in there, but our lord made it clear that he felt you were a criminal, and I cannot disobey him by treating you as anything but, regardless of any assumption Walrick made.”
“And now?” Elora asked.
“Now, our lord has asked that you are healed and fed and anything else you might need to settle in.”
“Then what of the meal?” Elora gestured to the table. “Isn’t that a meal for prisoners?”
The steward blinked in surprise. “No. That is the meal we are all having today.” She peered at Elora. “Did you have elaborate meals in the other lair?”
Elora thought back to all the delicious meals that were offered and sighed. “It’s not that different,” she lied. “But we ate together.”
The steward pursed her lips as she nodded. “We used to as well, in the beginning,” she said. “But there is always so much to do that it became impractical to carve time out just for that.”
Elora said nothing. Having meals together was something she’d always experienced, even with her faction. She couldn’t understand how the community in this lair could choose to eat alone. Even when she was with her faction, it was common for them to eat together. “So there’s no common mealtime?”
“No. You need to fit your mealtimes around your duties and when the kitchen staff is serving food.”
“What are my duties?”
“I don’t know,” she said somewhat stiffly. “Our lord has not been specific about what your role will be.”
The bandages came off her arm and Elora peered down where the wounds had been, but apart from some significant raw redness, her skin had no scar at all. The steward picked up a jar from the basket.
“How did you heal me?” Elora asked, touching the rawness of her tender skin. “Potions?”
“Yes. And incantations. It took a few hours. The wounds were extremely deep. I had to put you to sleep for the rest of the day and night to help with the healing.”
Elora nodded. So it was the next day.
The woman gently smoothed a creamy substance into her arm where the wounds had been, rubbing it up and down the length of her arm until her skin had absorbed it. She asked her to clench her fist, touch each finger into the palm of her hand, and rotate her arm. “It is healing well,” she said finally. “You will need this treatment twice a day for the next few days, but there shouldn’t be any long-lasting pain or problems. There is a washroom farther down the corridor, try not to get it wet.” The steward put the jar back in her basket and stood up. “If it starts to hurt, let me know.”
“How do I find you? I don’t even know your name.”
“I am Marahl. I’ll visit regularly.” She gestured to the meal on the table. “Eat up while it’s hot.”
“So what should I do after that?” Elora asked, offering a small smile. “Do you need help with anything?”
The steward shook her head. “Currently you’re not part of the staff,” she said. “Everyone has a role that they are responsible for. Our lord will eventually decide what role you will have. If he decides that you will stay at all,” she added.
Elora exhaled heavily. “So I am supposed to wait around until he decides what he’s going to do with me?”
Marahl’s gaze turned hard. “You are lucky he didn’t kill you instantly upon your arrival. That is what most dragorai would have done.”
“Have many people crossed his territory before?”
Marahl picked up her basket and headed to the door. “Of course. People are always thinking that the warnings about the Forbidden Mountains can be ignored or risked for their own purposes, especially because of the war. Many try to cross to escape to the other side of the Twin Realms, and even though it would take weeks to cross, our lord’s territory has the most accessible route. So it is always being trespassed upon. He will not allow it.”
“So what does he do to them?”
Marahl shot her a look. “He and his dan askha hunt them. None of them survive.”
Elora’s brows shot up. “None?”
“None.” She shrugged at Elora. “You were lucky that you were not detected until it was too late.”
Elora fiddled with the edge of the blanket on the bed. Was she the only one he didn’t catch? “Is that why he is so angry?” she asked aloud.
Marahl’s eyes widened and then she laughed abruptly. “Have you not heard anything about Lord Zendyor while out in the Twin Realms?”
Elora nodded. “I have, but the steward at my old lair told me I shouldn’t believe all the rumors I hear.”
The steward inclined her head. “That is wise advice when it comes to living among the dragorai. But some rumors are worth listening to.”
“Which ones?”
Marahl shook her head. “I will never gossip about the dragorai. But as part of your induction to the lair, I will say… Lord Zendyor’s anger is easily aroused. You would be wise to ensure not to increase or heighten that while you are here, at least if you wish to live a pain-free and somewhat comfortable life here.”
Elora groaned inwardly. It wasn’t bad enough she’d have to deal with him, but to not anger him too? That seemed impossible. Her state of existence was enough to infuriate him. “Do I have to stay in here?” She couldn’t imagine being forced to stay in this room all day.
“No,” Marahl said. “But it’s best you don’t put too much stress on yourself while your arm is healing. Besides, I don’t want you interrupting anyone else from their duties.”
“Do you have a library?” Elora asked. “Or somewhere I can go and be out of the way?”
Marahl lifted brow and gestured to the room around them. “Yes. Right here.” With that, she left the room.