It landed with a wet plop! The sound was not nearly satisfying enough to appease Maribel’s growing temper. “I wasn’t staring.” She savaged the piece of beef into small chunks, hurling them into the oiled cast iron pan heating on the oven. “Why would I? It’s no big deal.” Her teeth clenched in frustration. “Half… Half…” She pursed her lips and slammed a fist down on the cutting board. “Oh, for pity’s sake. Say it. Half serpent.”The word hung in the air like an accusation. Maribel drummed her fingers on the cutting board, jaw jutting out as she glared at nothing in particular. After several moments of silence, her shoulders slumped and she cast a glance at the oven.She should have been more excited that Daman had an oven. She hadn’t seen one since her family had been wealthy enough to have a full kitchen, and even then she’d spent limited time in that area of the house. It hadn’t been until they’d lost all of that and she’d begun cooking for her family herself that she’d started dreaming of using one.
