damn stew in all the realms, but the men always want scones and tarts."
"Making tarts on a ship? That sounds like such an adventure! I'd love to! Do you have extra aprons?"
"Jenny, I don't think you have to get to work this second," Bevan said. "What's your name, madam?"
"Oh, just Dahl."
“Like…the Indian lentils?"
"Like short for Dahlia," she laughed, handing me an apron.
"I want to get to work," I said. If I stayed in the kitchen, I wouldn't have to see Piers or Variel.
"I saw some strawberries in the cold storage that you'll want to use up right away."
Bevan shook his head. "You've been itching for a kitchen, huh?"
"Terribly. I learned some things poking around faery bakeries, but it's not the same."
"Have at it," Dahl said. "We'll just have to be careful in these close quarters. Are you prone to seasickness?"
"I hope not."
"Take a little remedy, then, just in case. I can't handle vomiting in my galley!"
I never knew exactly when the ship pulled away from the harbor, because I stayed down there and got right to work making shortcakes. Dahl and I worked around each other just fine despite the tight kitchen. She was older than me and kind of slow, and I was used to making myself small and zipping around. I didn't even mind kneading dough on the floor.
"You're like a little waterspout, just popping up out of nothing and spinning all over the place," Dahl said. "I bet you could make desserts worthy of the palace in a proper kitchen."
"You haven't even tasted these yet!"
"I can tell you know what you're doing. Did you run a bakery back home? You're a familiar, aren't you?"
"Yes, and familiars don't run bakeries," I said. "I've just always baked and cooked for my family. Everything, really, but the pastries seemed to bring them the most happiness. So I've always tried to make new things and outdo myself."
"You could open a bakery in La Serenissima."
"I'm hoping to apprentice under Madam Kerra at the Golden Patisserie. I want to learn to make magical pastries that bring people even deeper happiness and comfort. I'm trying to bespell these shortcakes with good cheer for the voyage."
"Oh, then I should leave you to concentrate," Dahl said.
“I think it could work," I said. "Strawberries are one of the first fruits of spring, so they have the happiness of everything waking up with the seasons. Maybe I can tease it out. It's just a amateur attempt at a spell, not like the things Madam Kerra makes, but we could use a sense of a fresh start here."
"I heard there's a monster on the ship," Dahl said. "And you had something to do with it. Keep me away from him. I don't need to be seeing any monsters."
"He's not, really. He's a high demon."
"That's worse!"
"Well, I think he wants to help." I sighed. "But he's a frustrating man."
"A high demon isn't like a man," Dahl said. "All they want is to get something out of you and grow ever more powerful."
"I don't know. I’m not sure if he’s really like that.”
“If they aren’t like that, they aren’t high demons,” Dahl said.
I was glad that generally, Dahl didn't seem interested in demons or any of the men, and just wanted to talk about food. It was a nice break from worrying over it all.
When the shortcake was out of the oven and cooling, and the stew was simmering, we made some flatbreads with caramelized onion and seeds together. My stomach was growling by now, smelling all the food, and I was sweating in the heat, my hair twisted back in a bun. I knew I didn't look very pretty at all, but I was extremely proud of the good meal we would bring out for the crew.
Suddenly Dahl screamed and dropped a bowl of salad right on the floor before she sagged against the wall.
Variel had appeared, ducking and hunching as his horns left scrape marks on the ceilings.
"I mean no harm," he said, but he didn't look impressed by Dahl. "I caught several fish and I would like them fried for my dinner."
"We made stew," I said.
He squeezed into the kitchen and swung out his tail. Fish were speared onto the spikes like conquered enemies. "You may have one as well, my lady," he said. "Or two, if you like. I just don't think a person as small as you would need two, or I would offer you as many.”
“Did you catch these just now?”
“Yes,” he said. “I went