Chapter 5 Hearts

“Try again?” Seraphina's legs remained firmly planted in the doorway. “Okay, fine. I need to bake your cake and many other orders…”

“That is not my business. Feel free not to continue.” He cut her off mid-speech.

“I choose to continue.” She stretched the basket towards him. “Here, this is a strawberry crunch bar. Consider it a… um… like… anything. Just come and help me out.”

Rhydian's eyes moved to the basket stretched towards him, remaining glued to it.

“Hey, do you even have a heart?”

“Most mammals do,” Casian answered Seraphina's question on Rhydian's behalf.

“All mammals do, dummy!” she snapped at Casian before turning back to Rhydian. “Don't you think I have…”

“If it's not crunchy or creamy enough, forget about your oven,” Rhydian cut her off, his eyes still glued to the basket.

A sheepish smile broke out on Seraphina's face. She nodded hurriedly and yanked the basket open, destroying the ribbon and all the fancy wrapping in the process without a care in the world.

She grabbed the little pastry knife in the basket and stabbed it into one of the bars, cutting out a sizeable piece. She lifted it on the knife and held it out to him.

“One bite, and you'll ask for more. I promise you.”

Rhydian looked at her as though she had grown two heads. Slowly, he reached for the bar, taking it off the knife. He carefully inspected it.

“Taste it,” he suddenly blurted out.

Seraphina's expression changed. All the smile disappeared from her face.

“You think I'll poison you?”

“I do not trust witches.”

“Neither does killing a dragon gain me anything. Nevertheless, the thought might cross my mind soon, and my first exhibit will most definitely be you,” she sneered.

She stabbed the knife into the tray again, cutting out a huge piece for herself. Rhydian eyed her instantly as she pushed a large quantity into her mouth.

Her eyes flew shut immediately, and a quiet moan escaped her lips as she bit into the chunk.

Chocolate smeared across her lips as she chewed.

Casian swallowed.

A second swallow followed from Rhydian.

Casian reached for the knife, cut out a chunk for himself, and pushed it into his mouth. His eyes widened as he chewed. He tried pushing the remaining piece in his hand into his mouth, intending to reach for another one, but Rhydian jerked the basket off the floor.

Seraphina's eyes flew open. Casian's expression fell.

“I thought it was mine! Why are you people eating it as though you haven't seen a pastry in your entire lives?” Rhydian sneered.

“You…” Seraphina pointed at him, shaking her head. “Fine, eat up so we can go.”

“I haven't said it's good yet.”

He gently bit into the bar in his hand, eating with so much grace for someone who was actually eating with his hands.

Seraphina kept looking at his face for a reaction, but he gave nothing away.

Her eyes fell to his feet. He was barefoot, and his toes had curled inwards. He kept curling and uncurling them as he ate.

Her eyes travelled back to his face. His eyes remained fixed on the basket, not moving towards anything else.

Casian nudged Seraphina. She nudged him back, both understanding each other in silence.

He kept eating until the bar in his hand was finished. His brows furrowed, and he reached for another one, but a little palm stopped his hand.

“It's good. You don't have to tell me. Now move, my oven.”

Seraphina held his arm strongly, or so she believed. Rhydian's eyes fell on the spot where her palm barely covered half his arm.

She yanked her hand away as soon as she noticed his stare.

“I haven't said it's good yet.”

“You are obviously going for another one!” Her voice came out almost in a cry.

“Fine… but it's this once. After now, I'm no longer helping you.”

“I honestly pray I don't need your help again. Honestly.”

Both nodded in understanding.

Casian stared at them as a slow headache began creeping in.

Before they could even take a step towards the bakery, Seraphina's eyes dropped to Rhydian's feet again. He was still barefoot, his toes curling and uncurling against the ground.

“Wait, you can't walk into my bakery barefoot!”

Rhydian looked down at his feet before giving her an unimpressed stare. He turned around and walked back into his house.

Seraphina watched him disappear through the doorway before turning to Casian.

“He loved it"

"definitely " Casian smiled.

Rhydian returned with his boots. He slipped them on, adjusted them, and picked up the basket again.

“Can we go now?”

Seraphina rolled her eyes.

“Finally.”

The trio walked the short distance to Seraphina's bakery, with Rhydian holding the basket tightly and eating from it every few steps.

Seraphina yanked the door open as soon as they arrived and began leading Rhydian towards the oven.

“Here is my grandma's last child. Treat her carefully.” She caressed the stainless-steel body of the oven.

Rhydian recoiled in disgust. “The weird introduction is unnecessary.”

“Get to it already.” She snapped

Rhydian didn't pay her any attention. He walked back into the reception, dragged a chair over, and sat down.

“Until I'm done with this.” He lifted the bar slightly.

Seraphina clutched her chest.

“Oh, my… oh, my… I have cakes to bake, Rhydian!”

“You wouldn't have dared call me by my name a week ago,” Rhydian murmured.

Casian nodded quickly, then almost immediately, he stopped himself halfway when he realised what he was doing.

Seraphina's eyes snapped towards him.

“The longer you stay here, the more I think about giving you a bill for the coffee you drank.”

A sheepish smile broke out on Casian's face.

“I can't hear you, though.” He leaned a little closer. “Should I leave you alone with him?” he mouthed.

Seraphina considered the thought.

“Nope. Kindly sit, dear friend.”

Rhydian finally stood up and walked over to the oven. He slammed his hand against it once.

Seraphina froze, goosebumps spreading across her skin.

“Oh, no, don't do…”

Her words became stuck in her throat as Rhydian stretched his hand towards the metal. Black streams of light rolled over the oven, spreading across its stainless-steel surface as he closed his eyes.

For several seconds, Seraphina stood in place, watching him. Casian watched too, while Rhydian's eyes remained closed.

The black streams of light continued rolling over the oven before gradually disappearing into the metal.

Rhydian snapped his eyes open.

“I'm done.”

“I refuse to let you be done.” Seraphina stood with her hands on her hips.