Queen Material ( Ace of Queens #1)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The picture on top is Rose Hunts...you will meet her later on in the chapter. 

Sitting in the library all day made Rye feel claustrophobic. Finishing up the last of the grapes, she decided to take the plate down to the kitchen.

After some wrong turns and deciding on really just naming the damn halls herself, Rye found the kitchen. It was the same kitchen Xavier had cooked her dinner in, except tonight it was buzzing with staff.

As Rye entered the room, everyone paused and bowed.

"Oh mon Dieu" someone explained.

A young man with scruffy facial hair and a buzz cut walked around the marble island to where Rye stood with the empty plate in her hand.

"It's the Queen," He said in a thick French accent.

He wiped his hands on his apron and bowed again to Rye.

"Bienvenue," He said.

"Er...hablo no Espanol?" Rye said.

"Quoi?" The man asked confused, "No, no,no. I speak French, your majesty."

"Ah shucks," Rye frowned, "Should have paid attention in school."

The man watched Rye with an admiring smile on his face, like he was meeting a celebrity.

Rye raised a brow at him, but he continued to stair.

"What's your name wonder boy?" Rye asked.

"My name is Hugo," The man said proudly, "I am the head chef."

"So you make my sandwiches?"

"Yes, M'dame."

"Stop putting so much mayonnaise." Rye handed him the plate.

Hugo took it eagerly and nodded as if memorizing everything Rye was saying.

Rye walked past Hugo and sniffed the air. It smelled amazing. Like warm sugar and vanilla.

"It's ," Hugo followed Rye, "Would you like to try?"

"Yes, please."

Hugo dashed around the kitchen before any of the other cooks could lift a plate and pulled a tray of pastries out of the oven.

He carefully plated a pastry and topped it with powdered sugar.

He raced back to Rye with his creation.

Rye laughed as she ate the pastry. Hugo reminded her more of a mad scientist then a chef. But she had to admit the buttery flaky was more than enough proof of his culinary skills.

Hugo watched Rye's every move with great anticipation. He was eager to please the queen.

For the first time that day Rye was feeling the pressure in her chest lift a little. Begin in the kitchen surrounded by Hugo and all the others was a good distraction from the anxiety she had been wrestling with all day.

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The next time Xavier opened his eyes, he was no longer in the lake that he had just drowned Rye in. He was once again back in his bed with Rye resting her head on his chest.

He willed himself to not move. He couldn't trust himself. He could not bare to watch himself kill her gain with his own hands. He would not survive it.

He felt Rye slowly lift her head, "Xavier?"

He opened his eyes.

She looked with him with so much sadness in her eyes. It knocked the breath out of him. He had watched her die over and over and over again, but each time it was like the first. The pain didn't lessen, it still hurt the same. And he knew that if he moved his body would betray him.