“Lowell called.  They are on their way and will be here in fifteen minutes.”

Ryland tried not to sigh, but it was hard.  Over the years, his punishments for his disrespect had curbed the urge to show his aggravation, but not the temptation.  “The meal will be done in time.”

“It better be,” Gerald growled out before storming out of the kitchen.

As soon as Gerald was out of sight, Ryland gave into his frustration and he stuck his tongue out at the man, or, at least, in the direction of where he’d just been.  That small bit of defiance shouldn’t have felt so good, but it did.

Before he had come to the Council Headquarters in order to try to free his sister, Ryland was sarcastic as hell.  To his credit, it had been an art form that he had mastered in his daily life.  Okay, so that was probably a bit vain, but the point was, Ryland had never believed in biting his tongue.  He said what he thought, without ever worrying about the repercussions.  That was before he’d been forced to work for Refugio Costa.

“Ry.” Keira, Ryland’s sister, came rushing into the kitchen, where Ryland worked.  Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes red from crying.  “Is there anything I can do to help?”  She held her hands in front of her, fingers twisting together in agitation.

It tore at his heart to see his sister so afraid.  He went to her and led her to a chair at the table.  “Why don’t you sit down and relax.”

She shook her head over and over again as if she couldn’t stop.  “No.  I need something to do.  This waiting is killing me.”

The pleading in her teary eyes wore Ryland down.  He would most likely get in trouble for allowing Keira to dirty her hands in the kitchen, but he couldn’t turn her down.  “Okay,” he said.  “Why don’t you cut the bread loaves.”  It wasn’t a lot to do, but with ten loaves, it would take her some time without giving her dishpan hands.

As she cut the bread, Ryland started pulling various dishes out of the oven.  Then he plated up the vegetable medley he had cooking on the stove.  Not knowing what the new Chief Council liked, Ryland made a variety of dishes.  He also kept the non-meat dishes to a minimum as the majority of the new Council members were predators.

“Do you think he’ll be like Refugio?” Keira’s voice wavered as she spoke.

As much as Ryland wanted to say no, he also didn’t want to give his sister false hope.  It wouldn’t be right, especially since experience had taught him shifters considered humans nothing more than slaves.  He glanced down at the shackle he had around his ankle to keep him from taking his sister and running.

That was just one example, but an effective one.  “Honestly Keira, I have no idea.  From what I’ve overheard some of the guards say, the new Chief Council is unlike any shifter they have ever met.”  He didn’t add that there was a plan in place to assassinate the man, along with the other Council members who defeated the old members in an official challenge.

Ryland just hoped he or Keira didn’t get caught in the middle.  There would be little chance of either of them making it out if that happened.

The knife Keira was using stopped mid-cut as her lavender eyes, so unlike his own amber ones, stared back at him.  The tears she had been shedding all morning were making them sparkle even more.  “What if he orders my death for my affiliation with Refugio?”  There was stark terror in her voice, which hadn’t managed to rise above a whisper.

It had been something they had hoped wouldn’t happen after they’d found out Refugio had died in the challenge for his Council position.  As grateful as Ryland was that his sister wouldn’t have to serve that monster any longer, it hadn’t meant she was out of the woods.  For all they knew, this Saber person would require her to serve him in the same way.

It would kill Ryland if that happened, but at least she’d be alive.  It was more than likely the new Chief Council wouldn’t want to take any risks with those loyal to Refugio trying to stab him in the back as several of the guards had been threatening to do.  He couldn’t allow his sister to die.  “Then I will cut off my chained leg and we will make our escape.”

It wasn’t something that would work, as the shifters would be able to smell his blood, but Ryland would go to any extreme to save Keira’s life.  Even if that meant dying himself in the process.

The tears she’d barely been holding back flowed freely.  Keira rushed to his side and threw her arms around him.  “I won’t let you do that, brother.  But I love you for saying so.”

“Just stay out of sight when they arrive.” It may not work as the guards would most likely mention Keira to the new Chief.  Still, if they were lucky, they might just be able to keep her out of sight until Ryland could find out what kind of man the new Chief was.

Keira hugged him tighter for a moment before pulling away.  “I will,” she whispered before going back to cutting the loaves of bread.

“What are you doing in here?” Gerald demanded of Keira as he came rushing back into the kitchen.  But then he waved her off as if he didn’t have time or didn’t care what she had to say.  “Never mind.”  He then turned to Ryland.  “They are coming up the drive.  Why isn’t the food out?”

Ryland tasted blood when he bit his tongue to stop himself from saying something that would most likely get him beaten.  Instead he looked down at the chain on his foot.  “Because I’m stuck here in the kitchen and the rest of the kitchen staff ran off the moment they found out Refugio had died.  You can either unlock me, or send in some of the guards to bring the dishes out.”

Ryland would have been long gone with his sister if anyone would have bothered to unchain him.  He’d actually thought at one point he had Lowell, the head guard, convinced to let them leave, but then the call came that the new Chief Council would be arriving with the other Council members in tow and suddenly Lowell would no longer even entertain the idea of letting him or Keira go.

Gerald stepped closer to Ryland, getting right in his face.  The snarl Gerald wore told Ryland he had stepped a little too far over the line of something he shouldn’t say.  Fortunately, Jose, another guard, came running in.  “They’re here.”

Gerald didn’t waste another breath on Ryland as he turned on his heel and headed out of the kitchen.  When he came upon Jose, he pointed to the coyote shifter.  “Get a couple of other guards and bring all this food to the main dining room and do it quickly.”

Then he was gone, with Jose racing out after him, yelling as he went for two more guards.  Seconds later Jose returned with Chip and Gil in tow.  Ryland pointed to the various dishes and handed the three men pot holders.  “Make sure to grab a spoon or fork for each dish,” he told them even as he placed several forks on the plates of meat dishes.

The moment the guards left with the first trays of food, Ryland turned to his sister. "You need to go to your room and hide." Then he grabbed her and hugged her. "Actually, you should go to my room and hide."

Keira nodded and rushed off.

Ryland wasn't sure what was going to happen but he would do whatever it took to save his sister from having to endure any more pain or suffering.

As the guards came running back into the kitchen for more food, Ryland turned back to the stove to finish the last of the dishes. He just hoped he wouldn't have to cut off his foot, because that would suck.