Page 6

CHAPTER 6

S now fell in a never-ending blur as Graal followed the cobblestone lane around the back of the apartment building where he lived. Glowing lights filled the windows he passed, and he paused, glancing in.

He spotted his landlord sitting at a table, wearing fine clothes and surrounded by his tenants. Well, some of his tenants.

From here he spotted a faun, a human sorcerer, a djinn, and a pixie eating at the dining table. Red candles lined the patterned white-and-gold tablecloth. Garlands of greenery hung from the ceiling. A large Christmas tree stood against the wall. Glass baubles and shining tinsel decorated the branches. Bulbous earthenware dishes sat on the table.

All the tenants in this building paid the same rent. But the attractive beings got more for what they paid. The attractive beings got the above ground rooms. They got food provided as part of their rent. They got to eat at the vampire’s dining table and use the drawing room with the harp and piano. They got their own entrance at the front of the building .

If Cas rented a room, he’d be an upstairs tenant.

Graal turned away and continued to the back door. Many in the city didn’t like orcs and what were often considered the violent and monstrous races. That also included ogres, trolls, minotaurs, and goblins. That was why those races tended to live outside the cities. They worked on farms, mines, quarries, and the like. Or so Graal had heard.

Graal had considered leaving. He could even potentially work for the same company he currently did. He worked for a quarry, hauling stones from carts to building sites when the carts couldn’t get directly to those sites. But he could work at the actual quarry outside the city.

But he’d only ever known the city and its dirty streets, dark alleys, and crowded lanes. It would be a move into the unknown.

He doubted the work would be easier. But maybe he wouldn’t be looked down upon. Maybe he wouldn’t feel like such an outsider. Then again, he’d hoped to find community here in this apartment building, living with orcs. That hope had come to nothing.

Graal walked down the corridor. He passed no one tonight.

Reaching his room, he let himself in. He lit the lantern and placed the brick bread, links of sausages, block of cheese, and box of cookies onto the table.

After cleaning himself up, he sat at the table. He stared at the box of cookies. He lifted his hand and touched the ribbon, a pretty vibrant red. He’d seen other customers with packages with dainty red ribbon. But he’d never gotten any before. Ribbon wasn’t for brick bread.

However, today he’d bought cookies, and Cas had wrapped his box in this bright-red ribbon and tied it into a little bow at the top .

Graal swallowed. It didn’t mean anything, of course. That was what Cas used to wrap the small boxes in. It was just what he did for customers.

But Cas had seemed so happy when Graal asked for the sugar cookies. Pixie dust had sparkled around him. And around Graal too. As it had rained down around him, he couldn’t help but marvel to be included in the shining beauty that belonged to Cas.

He’d had an impulse to lick his lips and taste the dust. He wondered if it tasted sweet. It should taste sweet. That would suit Cas, the pretty pixie with a sweet tooth who made the world around him shine and glow.

Graal reached out and lifted the box. He placed it on the palm of his hand. He tugged the bow loose and grimaced at the sight of his thick, clumsy green fingers handling the ribbon. But it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t change his hands.

He laid the ribbon out on the table. He ran his fingers along the silky strand. He’d keep this. A little bit of brightness in his otherwise drab world.

Graal turned his attention to the small box and opened it. He took several moments to admire the dainty cookies snuggled inside the box. He’d bought a couple, but Cas had gifted him the rest, like a Christmas gift.

Graal had never had a Christmas gift before.

Graal shook his head at himself. It wasn’t a Christmas gift. Cas had just been being nice, and Graal was being ridiculous, finding bigger meaning in Cas’s actions.

He reached into the box with two large fingers and picked out a cookie, so careful not to break it with his thick fingers. Dark-blue icing covered the circular cookie, with swirls of pale blue and little white dots on top.

Graal could never make something like this. He lacked the dexterity. Cas had been proud of his creation. And he should be. He’d brought beauty into the world. And he’d shared a little of that beauty with Graal.

He pressed his lips together. The previous day, he’d been judgemental of the customer eating the pretty star cookie. He’d thought the cookie to be frivolous festive bullshit. But now all he could do was marvel at the lovely little cookie.

Graal stared for several moments. He didn’t get nice things like this. He didn’t get dainty cookies just like he didn’t get rooms above ground, tables decorated with candles, fresh washing water, Christmas presents, or a mother who actually loved him.

Those sorts of nice things had always been beyond Graal.

And now he was reluctant to bite into the cookie. Because then it would be gone from his world and this little bit of light would disappear forever.

But Cas had wanted Graal to try them. So he lifted the cookie to his lips and bit.

Bliss exploded on his tongue. Layers of flavours—sugar, spices, and butter—swirled over his taste-buds. He groaned and closed his eyes, savouring the delicate balance.

In his mind, he could almost see Cas smiling at him, his glowing aura, and the pixie dust floating in the air.

Graal took another bite. This was so much better than brick bread. So much better than anything he’d ever had in his life.

And in that moment, Graal let himself enjoy something nice. He popped the rest into his mouth and ate the cookie, thinking of the Christmas pixie.

Cas was the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. Of course, someone like Cas was only nice to Graal because he was a customer. And maybe because Cas was kind and caring and giving.

But in the darkness of his dank little room when he sat all alone, he let himself think of what it would be like for Cas to look at Graal as someone more than a customer. He wondered what it would be like to be with someone like Cas, to talk to him, to hold his hand, to hear that bubbly laugh, and see that smile and know it was for him.

Graal swallowed the last of the cookie and let out a breath, savouring the lingering taste on his tongue.

A loud knock banged on the door. Startling, Graal sat up and wiped his hands on his trousers. He opened the door.

Loral stood on the other side. “Washing’s done.” The imp servant held out a sack containing Graal’s clothes.

Graal took the bag of clothes. “Are they properly cleaned?” Graal would bet money that the upstairs tenants always had properly laundered clothing.

“It’ll be good enough for you.” She wrinkled her nose. “Stinks down here. Needs to be aired.”

Graal’s hand tightened around the sack. “It’s not like I can air the room. There are no windows. And my water isn’t being changed daily.”

“What do you need clean water for?” Loral barked.

Graal’s jaw clenched. “The agreement was that the water would be changed daily. It’s what I pay for.” Graal didn’t know why he bothered complaining. It never did any good.

In the social pecking order, imps weren’t that high up. But they were higher than orcs. Some, like Loral, wanted to make sure orcs knew that.

“You can complain to sir if you want,” Loral said.

Graal only ever saw the vampire landlord when he collected rent. Otherwise, he was always too busy to deal with Graal and his complaints.

Loral turned to leave, and she mumbled as she walked away, “It’s not like you need clean water. You won’t wash properly anyway, you stinking tusk-faced half-breed.”

Graal clenched his teeth and slammed the door shut behind her. He stared at the wood, breathing heavily .

He should be used to the insults. He’d heard the same and worse from Jordan growing up; half-blood, green-skinned brute, bastard, mongrel, and monster had been just a few of his favourites.

Graal should really be used to it. But still, the words always cut him deep.