Page 11 of Markets & Mooncakes

"Ah, so our breakfast is dictated by your enjoyment," she muses. "I see why you might want to have a relationship with the pastry chef." She helps herself to a croissant.

"I don't want to be with him because of croissants."

Veronica lets out a loud sigh. "I know that, Evie. I've been listening to you talk about Chef Matthews for years. And I walked in on you kissing."

"Once. That's hardly anything."

She raises an eyebrow. "Just how much are you kissing him? Wait, no, I don't want to know the answer to that."

"I'm not going to tell you, either," I respond. "It's not like I'm counting."

"Mmm, so more than twice."

"I thought you weren't going to ask?"

She sighs. "I'm just invested. But you're right, I shouldn't ask, and I should let you figure it out yourself."

"Wait, I didn't say that. You've been very helpful." I take a sip of my tea.

"All I did was tell you what was obvious to me," she responds.

"Yes, and that was helpful," I say firmly. Without Veronica, I have no idea how much longer it would have taken for me to realise that I was in love with Nate. Maybe he'd have ended up being the one telling me instead of me asking if he loved me.

Veronica gives me a smile. "So, are you ready for the arrival of the new ambassador from Shengda?" she asks.

I wrinkle my nose. "Not really. There's so much left to organise for the banquet. There hasn't been much time to prepare, so they haven't been able to change the menus for the rest of the week to accommodate."

Veronica frowns. "Why would it matter what they're serving on the other days?"

"Because of the time needed to prepare for a banquet," I respond. "They need to find it somewhere, and that's normally by making things in the days before that take less time and attention to be delicious."

"Huh, I would never have thought about that. No wonder you're the one in charge of that kind of thing. I'd much rather continue working with the treasury."

"Checking the accounts sounds dreadfully boring."

"Just think about it as each golden crown being a cake, and you'd be fine," she assures me.

"I don't think anyone has the need for that many cakes," I respond.

"I didn't mean literally."

"Oh." I sigh and lean back in my seat. "Well, I'm glad that's your job and not mine. Though it would make things easier because I also have to make sure that Ember is presentable for court, and that's a challenge. I don't even know why Mama is insisting on me bringing her."

"You only have Ember because of a Shengdanese envoy," she points out.

"I remember where my dragon came from," I remind her. "That doesn't change the fact that she isn't good with strangers, and taking her to court will mean everyone wants to touch her." And just as bad is the fact that they'll talk to me while they do it, which isn't good for either of us.

"If she burns someone, then you'll have an excuse to leave."

"It would be better if I didn't have to be there in the first place. But I know Mama isn't going to agree to that unless there's a very good reason."

"I can make things a little easier for you," Veronica says as she helps herself to another croissant. "I've been asking around about the ambassador's daughter, and I heard that she likes to cook."

I raise an eyebrow. "Why would that make things easier for me?"

She gives me a strange look. "Because you'll have something to talk to her about while we're showing her around the castle. And if food interests her too, then Mama will surely lift the ban on you talking about baking. Then you'll be doing the treaty with Shengda a service by talking about cake."

"Cooking isn't baking. They're two different things."