"But you're tiny." Gods, now she feels awful. "I'm just—"

"Never mind, I got ahead of myself in front of the new recruit. We're a bunch of babies, Katie, as you can see."

"Babies who apparently butcher your own animals after the vampire exsanguinates them?"

Sigh. "I bet Teg wishes we could afford a whole cow. I mean beef from the market. And that's pricey." Does it fall out of the sky—"Is it cheaper in the River Kingdoms somehow?"

"Abyss if I know, I'm a princess. How does Teg drink the blood if it's beef from the market, don't butchers generally remove it first?"

"Good ones do.

Half-assed butchery isn't the most efficient way to get blood to Teg, but everybody likes beef."

"Maybe once I'm strong enough we can depose my dad together, and then we'll be able to afford whole cows."

"If we only ended up being able to afford whole cows as a result of—your assistance, it would be very embarrassing for us. Not that not being able to feed Teg isn't already embarrassing."

Except to the extent that keeping her hungry helps ensure her loyalty, of course.

"Don't know about you guys, but I'd rather be embarrassed and full of delicious beef."

Katie is a submariner.

"Why not both nonembarrassed and full of beef?"

"That would be ideal, yes."

"Well, is there anything else here you want?"

Her eyes rake the root vegetables and leeks, but she just starts rifling through the cupboard.

"In case you start administering Teg an Iomedaean spiritual-correction session instead of just accepting the beef and coming back here to cook it within the night."

"I like potatoes with my beef. With salt and herbs, fried or roasted until crispy. And some kind of sauce, I don't know what's popular here, but I'm willing to try new things."

"--? We'll get all that stuff when we come back here to cook it. I meant, like, provisional snacks. For the inevitable Iomedaean spiritual-correction session.

Actually . . . Spook, pspsps . . ."

She glances around, wanders into a dark doorway, crouches and fumbles with something near the ground, and re-emerges holding a dead mouse.

"Cat wasn't there, but luckily he was by earlier. Teg can eat this."

"Oh, sorr- there's a cat?!!"

"Mhm. You like cats? Were you holed up in that room literally your whole time here?"

"Correct on both counts."

"We used to have two, but one defected to the neighbors while we were . . . away. I would say you should help us reclaim her but no one is supposed to know who all is living here, so you can't go outside until you've learned strict policy and stealth.

I'll bring him to you next time I see him.

Last call for paladin sob session snacks." Healthy-appetite-having future zaftig fighter Katies are gonna wish they had them . . .

"Got any dried fruit? That's usually my go-to for when the servants are out."

"I make sure of it."

Way more dates and mangoes than either of them could probably eat. Tangerines, apples, cranberries?

All of the above, please!

Sufficient amounts are enbagged!

She will walk very close to Katie leading her to Teg's room and only pick her up if she seems especially receptive.

Because you know. Can't look like she's not giving Teg a fair shot, that'll just lose her the delicious princess right away.

Cruel, loveless, god-burnt world.

Tazich is still warm and plush and Katie is eager to remain close to her. She puts an arm around her wide back.

She is going to eeeeeeeat Katie. And she carries her.