“Pancakes”

Prompt: Man, 25, recently hired as a member of the palace’s kitchen staff.

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The pan clatters to the ground. I freeze, my hand still hovering above the now-broken handle on the ground.

Beltin’s head pops out from the pantry. His eyes move from my face, to the splatter of batter ground, then back to my reddened cheeks.

“Was that the pancakes?” he asks. Even though his tone is light, there’s a slight quiver in his voice.

“I-“

The door slams open. A shadow falls over me.

“Laok,” the voice from the door snaps. “What is the meaning of this?”

Beltin melts back into the darkness of the pantry. My breath catches in my throat as I turn to meet the scowling face of Head Cook Jena.

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