Kaira breezed out of the clan's kitchen, balancing two steaming plates in her hands, humming a soft tune.
The rich aroma of the meat stew with mountain tubers and spices was so mouthwatering it made her stomach let out a grrrumble. The heat from the ceramic plates warmed her palms, even through the cloth she used to hold them.
The clan's hallways were busier now, with apprentices darting back and forth, murmuring about this or that.
Kaira deftly sidestepped a pair of servants carrying baskets of laundry, keeping the plates steady.
'This smells amazing,' she thought, grinning. 'Hope Rian likes it.'
She was about to turn down the hallway leading to the rooms when a tall figure stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
Kaira stopped short, her heart doing a quick th-thump, and looked up to see Kain, Rian's stepbrother.
