When Arran returned to the mansion, he found Brightblade already waiting for him in the gardens.
Contrary to what the Matriarch had predicted, she did not seem the least bit impatient to leave. This, Arran attributed to the opulent meal sitting on the table in front of her.
Though he had yet to meet his cooks, he once more decided that they were worth their weight in Essence Crystals.
Brightblade greeted him with a cheerful wave. "I heard your first month went well," she said, expertly cutting the meat from a roast chicken as she spoke.
"Well enough," Arran replied. "Though I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. I've barely slept a wink over the past few weeks."
"It'll get better," Brightblade said. "Now that you've shown your commitment, she'll ease up a bit."
"Then this first month was just a test?" Arran asked. If that was the case, it had been a thorough test indeed.
