“Thank you so much.” I inclined my head, as the king called the table’s attention with a raise of his heavy goblet made of a fiery red stone.
“Beloved wife, family, and esteemed guests, thank you for gathering together for this meal.” The king looked at me. “I hear you saw much of my city today, and a small part of the kingdom beyond, so I’ll open the meal by toasting to Dergia.”
We echoed his toast and had barely set our goblets down when the servants swept in with the first course. Other than the bread, cheese, and hot, nourishing broth given to the humans when we’d arrived, I had not known what to expect when it came to food in a city under a mountain, but the soup set before me smelled like onion and potato. My mouth salivated as I peered down at the food, noting the bowl appeared to be made of an orangish-red crystal. The dwarven presentation for most things was hard and cold, made of stone and metal and precious gems, but all of it was beautiful too.
“Please, eat,” the queen said when my friends and I hesitated to pick up our spoons. “Don’t let it grow stone cold.”
We did as Queen Deseana commanded, and I was not at all disappointed by the soup. Rather, I felt that I’d died and gone to the afterworld. It was so good.
“My compliments to your cooks,” I said when I’d finished the bowl.
“Our head cook was once a slave to House Triam. Sheescaped, and we’ve been treasuring the benefits ever since,” the king said.
“I believe she likes it here too,” the queen added. “She’s about to have her second youngling with her husband—an apprentice smithy.”
“Speaking of smiths,” the king set down his spoon, “what did you think of our Circle of Steel?”
“I found it all impressive,” I said.
“Quite,” Vale agreed. “The innovation to soundproof and ventilation so deep within the mountain is ingenious. Add in the actual smith work and no one can deny dwarves are the best of the craft.”
King Tholin beamed, as did the heir, who lifted an offering palm to Vale. “We will need to get you azupriansteel dagger before you depart, Prince Vale.”
“Have you none?” the princess asked.
“My sword iszupriansteel. As is my friend, Caelo’s.” Vale gestured down the table to where Caelo and Anna were engrossed in a different conversation with the triplets and the thirdborn Fellhelm, Prince Balindur. From the looks of it, Anna had told a joke that had sent the triplets into hysterics. “But no dagger. In truth, I’d like one for each of us, but I’m afraid those purchases may have to wait.”
“Why wait when you are here now?” the princess asked.
“When we’d first set out for Guldtown and then the mines where we found the humans, we’d not prepared for such a long trip.” Vale shrugged. “I carried gold, but I’m nearly out. There’s not enough for onezupriandagger, not even at half price, let alone four.”
The prince laughed. “I told you, you don’t want those half-off daggers that Smith Otrig sells.”
“Especially when we have plenty we can give you,” the queen added.
“We can’t accept such generosity,” I said. “You’ve already given so much—a home for those we arrived with, food and safety for a night or two. Most of all, a budding friendship.”
“Of course you can accept our gift.” Queen Deseana motioned for her water to be refilled. “We have many such daggers, and love supporting our smiths. It would be our honor for you to leave with daggers from our kingdom.”
“Helping is what allies do, is it not?” The king pushed his soup bowl to the side, where a servant swiftly whisked it away.
I swallowed, unsure how to proceed, and looked at my husband. He stared back at me and gave the slightest of nods.
He would not answer for me. That both boosted my confidence and sank my stomach.
With every passing day, it became more apparent I had but one path: To claim my name andeverythingthat went with it. Fighting Magnus. Potentially starting a full-blown war in Winter’s Realm.
In some ways, such as what I was doing now, treating with the King of Dwarves at his table, I’d already begun trying to take down King Magnus. In others, I held back.
I did not flaunt the name Isolde Falk. Nor did I hunger for absolute power.
Did I wish for revenge against King Magnus for killingmy family? More than anything. I considered the matter often.
Before, I wanted him to simply die, but the more I considered it, the more I’d rather see the king stripped of what he held dear. Imprisoned in a cell like he’d done to Prince Calder. Maybe magically bound if I could do so. However, to me, dethroning King Magnus was not the only hurdle I’d have to leap.
There were invisible strings holding me back, and only today, as we walked around Dergia, had I worked out a couple of those strings.
One being the bloodshed that would surely ensue. Once I came out as my true self, blood would spill. Magnus would hunt me, along with the vampires who already did so. He might hurt anyone I was with.
