“Who could have guessed they would make such a mess in such a short time?” Arian muttered as she swept a broom across the floor. She stared in disgust at the bits of crumbs that left streaks on the tiles. “Or that this would be so difficult to clean.”

I brushed the bits off my damp towel and smiled at her. “It’d be easier if the mess was cool. They turn to rocks if they sit around long enough and that makes it easier to clean up.”

Arian paused in her sweeping and sighed. “If only we could wait but the maids will be here to prepare dinner in an-my goodness!”

Her exclamation made me jump and I looked to see my friend ashen-faced and pointing at the door. I turned in that direction and my face drooped. Prince Kean’s head peeked inside and his face was a mess of chocolate streaks. His hair and clothes were equally stained and tears pooled in his big eyes.

I shot to my feet and we both hurried over to the boy. “What happened?”

He shuffled over to us and rubbed one of his eyes. “I. . .I only wanted another one so I stuck it in my pocket, but then we started playing and I forgot about it and I fell. Now it’s all over me and I don’t know how to get it off-” Any further explanation was interrupted by a loud sniffle as his tears exploded.

I knelt in front of him and grasped his shoulders as I gave him a good look over. “It shouldn’t be too much trouble, but you have to wash up or I’m sure your mother will be very cross with you.”

His eyes bulged out of his head. “B-but I don’t know how to clean it up!”

“Then I’ll help you do it,” I promised.

“Allow me,” Arian spoke up as she grasped the young prince’s hand. “The baths are not easy to find.”

I nodded. “Then you go do that. We’re almost done cleaning here, anyway.”

She nodded. “I will return as soon as I am able.”

I smiled and shook my head. “It’s fine. I’ll get this finished in no time and see you at the hall.” Arian hesitated but I snatched the broom from her and playfully swept the brushes against the bottom of her robes. “Go on. I’ll be there in a few minutes, I promise.”

She smiled and nodded before she turned her attention to the little prince. “Come along now, Your Highness. We’ll get you cleaned up in no time.” He nodded and allowed himself to be led away.

I sighed and shook my head before returning to the task at hand. As I soon discovered, my optimistic words didn’t match the chore before me. There really were a lot of crumbs and they had rolled and been kicked in all the tight places. I dropped to my hands and knees and crawled under one of the nearby workstations where I discovered a litter of crumbs.

I had been under there only a few moments when I heard the pitter-patter of small feet. I popped my head up and was just in time to watch a half dozen children escape out the nearest window. Fear struck my heart and I whipped my head about to look at the brownie pan. It was empty. They’d even taken most of the crumbs.

A smile touched my lips as I resumed my work under the table with my trusty rag in hand. “At least that’ll be easy to clean. . .” I murmured. I was deep in my work when I heard another soft step of gentle shoes. A snort escaped me. “You’re too late, it’s all gone.” The footsteps stopped close beside me and I frowned when no response came. I drew my head out from under the table and looked up at my guest. “I said all the-”

I found myself staring into the impassive face of Lord Eastwei. My heart dropped into my stomach and I clutched my rag against myself. I stood there in a dumb stupor, my mouth agape and my eyes as wide as saucers.

He nodded at my chest. “You are soiling yourself.”

I dropped my gaze to my chest and discovered that I’d clutched the wet rag so tightly against myself that the front of my clothing was indeed damp. My cheeks turned a nice shade of red and I wrenched the rag away from me, showing off the damp area it had created. I spun around to face away from him and snatched a dry towel which I furiously patted against myself.

Meanwhile, the lord sauntered over to my workstation with his usual cat-like grace and his eyes settled on the empty pan. “You have no more?”

I blinked at the pan and the man for a moment before I understood his meaning. “N-no, I’m afraid not. That is, not today. I might make more tomorrow.” I detected the faintest hint of emotion. “Did you. . .did you want me to save you one?”

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He lifted his eyes to stare straight ahead. “If you feel you must.”

I smiled and shook my head. “It wouldn’t be any problem. Did you want me to have Arian deliver it to you later?”

“No need,” he assured me as he turned away and toward the door. “I will get it myself.”

And with that, he strolled out of the kitchen.

I stood there staring dumbly at where he’d gone. My mind was a flurry of questions. Why had he come here? How did he learn about the brownies? Was he really coming back tomorrow?

A lump formed in my throat. The former ruler of the world wanted to taste my brownies.

I took a deep breath and let it out. No pressure. He wasn’t the ruler of the world anymore and besides, maybe he wouldn’t really show up.

Or maybe he would.

The question nagged my thoughts as I finished cleaning up. I walked home in a daze, my mind still abuzz with what had happened at the end of my brownie adventure. My thoughts must have been written in my posture because Arian met me halfway down my garden path with a worried expression on her face.

“Are you well?” she asked me as she looked me over.

I shook myself out of my reverie and smiled at her. “I’m fine. Why?”

She leaned back and looked me over. “You look. . .distracted.”

I laughed and shook my head. “It’s nothing. Anyway, did you get the prince all cleaned up?”

Arian perked up and bobbed her head. “Oh, yes! The brownie came right off, though the clothes took more cleaning than I had hoped.”

I grinned as we strolled down the path together toward the house. “We’ll have to remind him not to put it into his pocket tomorrow.”

She stopped and lifted an eyebrow. “Tomorrow?”

I turned to face her and nodded. “Yeah. I was going to make some more tomorrow. Why? I something wrong?”

“Tomorrow the kitchen is being used by Lady Fann for her cooking class.”

My face fell. “All day?”

She nodded. “All day. We won’t have a chance to make anything until the day after.” She tilted her head to one side and studied my face. “Is something wrong?”

I cleared my throat and managed a smile. “No, it’s nothing. I guess I was just looking forward to using my magic again.”

She returned my smile with one of her own. “I’m sure you will have a chance the day after.”

But would I have another chance to see Lord Eastwei? And why did I care so much if I did?

“Lady Roberts! Oh, Lady Roberts!”

Arian and I paused and half-turned toward the archway. A pair of elegant goddesses hurried down the path toward us with bright smiles on their faces. They stopped and bowed their heads to me.

“Thank you so much for treating my little girl!” one of the women complimented me.

I blinked at her before realization struck. “Your little girl got a brownie today?”

She straightened and nodded. “Yes, and she was so struck by your kindness and your wonderful cooking skills that she came home with nothing but admiration for you.”

“And my little boy did the same, as well,” the other woman chimed in as she bobbed her head. “He was so thrilled by your wonderful cooking that he begged me to make some of these, um-”

“Brownies?” I suggested.

She nodded. “Yes, that is what he said, but I told him I had no idea how to cook them.”

“You wouldn’t wish to tell us our recipe, would you?” the first parent wondered.

I bit my lower lip. “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that, well-”

“She conjured the main ingredient from magic,” Arian spoke up.

The women’s faces became downcast. “Oh, I see,” the first one replied before she managed a smile again. “Well, then I will have to plead with you to make some more when you have the time.”

I nodded. “I’ll be sure to do that and make sure the kids get some.”

The second one clapped her hands. “Wonderful! Thank you so much and have a good day.” They bowed their heads and scuttled off.

I turned to Arian with surprise written all over my face. “I never thought anyone would care that much about brownies to visit me.”

She smiled and nodded. “Of course they would! They’re delicious! We will have to make a double batch the day after tomorrow.”

I nodded as I followed her into the house. The day after tomorrow.