4
We found the kitchen a perfect picture of ordered chaos. Cooks and helpers scurried to and fro, and an unusual scent of the sea permeated the whole room. Maira stood in the center of it all at the island with a large bowl of dark green salad in front of her. A dish of rough sea salt stood beside the bowl, and she liberally sprinkled the spice over the foliage while barking orders.
“Chrissy, a little less onion in the dip! Duncan, don’t go spreading the batter too thin or it will never raise!”
One of the cooks stopped long enough to recognize they had company in Luca and me, and he bowed his head so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. “Your Highness!”
All the clamor was silenced as the other cooks bowed their heads. Maira frowned at us and wagged a wooden spoon in our directio
