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“What’s for dinner, Master?"
Tetia poked her head in Qifrey’s study, jolting him out of his focus. He’d been pouring over a map, trying to guess where the Brimmed Caps might surface next. Custas and Tartah were still missing, and the Brimmed Caps were their only lead. Part of him wanted to continue well into the night, but he needed to set a good example for the girls. A break and some good food would do wonders for the mind.
“It will require some preparation,” he told her, “so I hope you’re all ready to help.”
“Yeah!”
“Aww, not these again!”
Qifery chuckled at Tetia’s dismay. He lugged in a crate filled with the parasol jellies he’d collected that morning. “Actually, this will be Olruggio’s job today. If you’d prefer, you can help me with the pasta.”
She perked back up. “I’d love to!”
Just then, Coco and Agott came up from the cellar, both holding boxes. “We got what you asked for, Master!” said Coco.
Richeh came in as well, Olruggio in tow. “And I found Master Olly.”
Olriggio eyed the parasol jellies with disdain. “I suppose you’re wanting me to take care of those?”
“If you wouldn’t mind? I’d like to take this opportunity to teach the girls how to use a knife."
“I suppose so. But you’ll owe me one.”
“Much appreciated, Olly. Now, shall we get started?”
While Olruggio started reducing the parasol jellies, Qifrey pulled out the first few rolls of dough. He’d prepped them in advance, rolling the sheets into logs, and now they just needed cut.
“There’s so much of it,” said Coco. “Are we using all this tonight?”
“We’ll use about three logs’ worth,” said Qifrey, “and the rest we’ll dry for later. Now, I’ll show you all how to properly handle a knife.”
“Oh! I actually already know how to,” said Coco. “I helped my mom out in the kitchen a lot, so I learned pretty early. See?” Without any guidance needed, she started working. She worked slowly, with a precision that spoke to years of experience.
“Splendid! In that case, who would like to learn first?”
“I will!” said Tetia.
Qifrey reached for a knife, and showed her the proper way to hold it. “It’s important not to put your pointer finger on top,” he said, “because that destabilizes the knife and makes it more likely to slip.”
“So, like this?” Tetia asked, grabbing her own knife and copying him.
“Yes, that’s the way! Now, as you cut,” he said, grabbing a log of dough and slowly slicing it, “you’ll want to keep your off hand positioned like this, with the knuckles toughing the blade and the fingertips curled inwards. That way lets you guide the knife and makes it harder to cut yourself on accident.” By doing that, he didn’t need sight to cut safely. “For these noodles, you’ll want to cut it at about a quarter inch thickness.”
Tetia started cutting the noodles with gusto. After a moment observing to ensure proper technique, he turned back to Richeh and Agott. “Which of you would like to go next?”
Richeh spoke up. “Perhaps I should help Master Olly instead. Cutting open the parasol jelly legs takes a lot of time. At this rate, we’ll finish faster than him.”
She was eying the knives nervously, and Qifrey mentally kicked himself for not noticing sooner. Was she afraid of knives? If so, it might be because of her former master. He wasn’t sure whether or not to push the issue. It was his job to help her grow, but being put in too distressing of a situation would only hinder that growth.
If he didn’t know the root of her fear, he couldn’t be sure. “Are you sure? I assure you, it’s perfectly safe once you know the technique.”
“I’m sure.” She hesitated, then said, “But next time, I would like to try.”
Qifrey felt a swell of pride in his chest. Richeh had really grown up since taking the second test. Despite being clearly uncomfortable, she still wanted to push outside her comfort zone. She just needed time to prepare.
“I’ll go with you, Richeh,” said Agott. “Best to divide the work evenly, no?” She really was a sweet girl, making sure Richeh didn’t feel excluded.
“Thought you all were leaving me to do the hard parts on my own! Much obliged, girls. And you’re just in time, since the first batch just finished cooking.”
With everyone else settled into their tasks, Qifrey got to work. Soon enough, they had a good-sized pile of noodles cut.
“Coco, Tetia, would you like to see how we’re preserving these?”
“Aren’t we going to lay them out to dry?” asked Coco. “That’s how we always did it at home...”
“Laying them flat is a good start, but there’s something we can do to speed it along.”
Coco gasped. “Do you mean the drying spell? That could work!”
“I don’t think it would be strong enough,” said Tetia. “But if we made the seals bigger, then maybe it would be.”
Qifrey smiled at her. “How would you like to try?”
Her first attempt left some moisture behind, but her second one was perfect.
Coco watched in excitement. “Wow, that was amazing, Tetia! Can I draw the next one?”
“Of course you can! I’ll dry, then you’ll dry! Two sets of hands make everything faster!”
They worked like that for a while, and Qifrey started to feel how tired he really was. He’d stayed up late the night before, and he’d woken up early to catch the parasol jellies. Now that he’d slowed down, the lack of sleep was catching up to him.
In a moment of inattention, his knife slipped and sliced into his finger. For a moment, he didn’t feel any pain; simply stared at the dough that was now stained a bright red.
“Master Qifrey, are you alright?!” Tetia dropped her knife and rushed over. He clutched his finger to stop the bleeding and cover the cut.
“It’s just a small scratch, nothing to worry over. Though we’ll have to discard the dough I was cutting.” In truth, he couldn’t tell how big the cut was, but he didn’t want to worry the girls, especially Richeh. “I should get this cleaned up first, though. It’ll just be a moment.”
“I’ll go with you, Qifrey.” Olruggio turned to the girls. “No touching the knives until we’re back!”
On the way to the washroom, Qifrey’s hand started to throb. Squinting at the cut, he hoped it wasn’t too bad.
“How much sleep did you get last night?” Oruggio didn’t turn around as he asked the question, digging through their storage to find the few medical supplies they kept on hand. It was pushing the rules to have even the very basics, but isolated as they were, it was necessary. If the windowway failed and they got stuck, they at least needed bandages.
Olruggio’s question caught him off guard. “What?”
“How much did you sleep?” he repeated.
Qifrey’s first instinct was to lie, but he caught himself. He’d lied to his best friend enough. Olruggio would see right through him anyway. “About three hours, all things considered.”
Olruggio sighed, pulled out a strip of cloth to use as a bandage, and washed off Qifrey’s hand with the vapor bubble.
“I’m simply worried about that we won’t find those boys in time,” Qifrey continued. “Those damned Brimmed Caps,” he spat the name with vitriol, “could be doing anything to them.” He couldn’t help but think of how he’d been found, on death’s door in a watery coffin.
Olruggio put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m worried, too, Qifrey, but running ourselves ragged won’t help anyone. The best thing we can do fer em’ is stay well fed and rested, and be at our best when an opportunity comes.”
“You’re right, Olly.”
Olruggio wrapped the cut on his hand and secured it, letting his hand linger for a moment.
“You don’t have to keep doing this to yourself, Qifrey. It’s gone now. You can stop working yourself to the bone just to stay alive.”
Qifrey laced their fingers together. The action sent a phantom twinge through his chest. But it was still better than that first week, where even a touch like that sent him spiraling. He’d become so used to distancing himself, both emotionally and physically. He’d had to, or the tree would have consumed him.
“I’m trying, Olly,” he choked out, squeezing his hand. “It’ll just take time.”
When they returned to the kitchen, Tetia, Richeh, and Coco were gathered around the table, extracting the meat from the parasol jelly legs. Agott was putting the last few in the pot to cook. When she saw them, she startled. “You’re back already?” She scrambled for words. “Um, I was just finishing these last ones up. Master Olly, you left the pot on, and I didn’t want them to overcook, so I took them out and got rid of the water, and then—”
“Master Qifrey, is your hand okay?” Richeh dropped her shears and ran up to them.
Qifrey waggled his fingers. “Good as new! It’s a good reminder to be mindful while using sharp equipment, though. Thank you for finishing the legs, Agott. They look perfectly cooked.” Agott flushed at the praise. “I’ll finish cutting the dough, and then we can make the sauce.”
Olruggio said, “No, you will not,” then led him by the shoulders and sat him down at the table. “Do you really think it’s safe to be using a knife right now?”
“I can’t leave you to finish the rest, though.” Qifrey argued. “There’s quite a lot still to do.”
“In that case,” Olruggio handed him a parasol jelly leg, “how about you help the girls? I’ll finish up the pasta, and if Tetia and Coco still want to help, they can.”
“Finally! I’m free from parasol purgatory!” Tetia cheered.
“It was less than four minutes,” said Richeh.
“Doesn’t matter! This is much more fun,” Tetia responded, and Coco followed after her.
Qifrey settled into his task, snapping open the leg with his hands and dropping the meat on the pile. He noticed Agott watching and repeated the action, a bit slower this time. First, he bent it forwards until he heard a crack, then he flipped it over and did the same on the other side. Last, he carefully pulled the shell off and gently pulled the meat out.
Agott put down her shears and tried it the same way, letting out a small, “Aha!” when it worked. Then, she turned to Richeh and show her how to do it, too.
Over by the counter, Coco whispered something to Tetia, who laughed; Olruggio looking over them with a watchful eye.
Before, when the silverwood was growing inside him, Qifrey wouldn’t have been able to truly enjoy a moment like this. He’d have bit his lip and let the pain distract him from the happiness, or found some excuse to leave for a moment and ground himself, or dwelled on the problems that were still unsolved. Even now, those old habits tried to return, and Qifrey had to make an active effort to stay in the moment.
Here, with his family’s voices washing over him, bathed in the warm golden glow of sunset, Qifrey let his eyes slip closed and finally admitted the truth; the truth he’d always known deep down.
This was where he wanted to be.