He didn’t so much as wait for her to leave his side before digging in. Starved as he was, there wasn’t much keeping him from devouring the first real meal he’s had since earlier that morning. Normally, he would have found some time to have lunch, but once he was in the zone finding the will to stop himself was almost impossible. It also didn’t help that prying eyes found him whenever he did stop and stretch. His bones still ached from all of that day’s work and a hot - relatively delicious despite her devious act - meal to end his suffering felt like a divine blessing. Ender’s spoon stopped half way to his lips and he nodded. It seemed as though relaxing wasn’t in the cards for him that night. Navigating an exit without being seen by Salome was going to be hard, especially when she’s proven to be far more challenging than he gave her credit for, so his only option was to anger her enough to fake needing to walk away. That should give him enough of an excuse to get out of the house without raising suspicions. It took a good four to five spoonful's more for Enders to glance up from his bowl and pin her with a look. He didn’t want to stop eating, but the sight of her untouched plate forced him to reconsider his meal. Without bothering to answer her question, “ Are you expecting me to feed you? ” he asked, raising a brow. The pot of stew sat just between them, steaming still and smelling just as good as it tasted. It hadn’t occurred to him that she may have done more than just spit into it until that very moment. “ Or should I be concerned for my safety. ” But she wouldn’t have dared… would she?
Her gaze stayed fixed on his face as he ate, an uncommon behavior, as she usually spared him no more than a passing dismissive glance. Her eyes rolled when he finished speaking, a masked air of superiority covering her face. It was a look she had learned to master, but seldom used, as it was the kind of look that would get you in trouble if used opposite the wrong person. But with Ender it was a different. Reporting on each other was mutually assured destruction, so they shared an unspoken fragile pact, an agreement to keep all the bad blood trapped in the prison they were forced to call home.
When he ignored her question, she returned the favor with practiced ease. Salome set her spoon down with a soft click. Her gaze drifted blankly over the table, unfocused, like she’d disappeared somewhere deep behind her eyes. She reached for a piece of bread from the woven basket, already stiff from the day coming to an end, and tore off a corner with her teeth.
She chewed slowly, feigning disinterest. But out of the corner of her eye, she kept watching Ender. Waiting. He’d taken the bait. Now she just had to see how far down his throat it might slide.
