Voices swell, and a fine sweat breaks out across my brow. I didn’t realize dinner meant this many courtiers. I assumed it would just be Solano and me along with a few others. A weird thrill shoots through me at the thought of the sun king. He ditched me when we arrived, so I should be peeved at him. Instead, I find myself looking forward to seeing him again. I suppose it helps that he’s a delicious treat to look at. I dream about his eyes and that face. I have to stop thinking about the rest of him. I’m just a consort to him, nothing special, and the matron is probably right about him adding more toys to his collection. That shouldn’t sting, but it does. Then again, maybe it’ll make it easier for me to get back home if the king is occupied with some shiny new changelings instead of me.
A particularly beautiful high fae female strides toward me, her long legs carrying her with a grace that seems almost impossible. She has sharp golden eyes, a slight upturn at the tip of her perfect nose, and long blonde hair plaited down one side and hanging in front of her like a golden rope.
“You must be the whore.” Her tone is cold, but her eyes seem to spark. “Ready to be used and cast aside?”
“Woah, unnecessary.” I put one hand on my hip. “I may be a whore, but I’m a fancy one.”
“Sister.” Another fae stands with her, but I almost didn’t notice. She’s smaller, her gaze timid and her features not quite as striking. “Don’t be cruel.”
“I’ll be however I choose, Lunarie, especially when it comes to changeling rubbish.”
Rubbish? “Lady, I don’t know who you think—”
“Come.” Lucidia snatches my hand and pulls me alongside her with a surprisingly strong grip.
I squawk, “Hey, that female was—”
“Donotcross her.” She drags me into an alcove that would be perfectly shadowy if it weren’t for the obtrusive sun. “You’re going to make enemies here, and it’s natural for Gwenarie to dislike you, but you can always make it worse on yourself. Mind your tongue. Speak when spoken to, and donotrise to petty insults,” she ends with a harsh whisper, and holds up a finger to cut off my protest.
Since when don’t I rise to petty insults?
“Come.” She pulls me back into the hall. The two fae sisters are gone, but more nobles have filled the area and stream into a large dining room.
“Are there always this many nobles at dinner?” I try not to look anyone in the eye, though I refuse to lower my head. Maybe I’m ‘changeling rubbish,’ but I won’t let them think they’ve won.
“When the king returns from abroad, it’s customary to have a banquet.” Lucidia keeps her voice low, her teacherly tone different from her urgent whisper in the alcove. “Usually, he dines with his most trusted warriors.”
“And me?”
She gives me a sideways glance. “Consorts aren’t invited to discuss realm matters with the king and warriors, no.”
“When you put it like that …” I shrug and try to be nonchalant, though the idea of sitting alone for all my meals and waiting for the king to summon me doesn’t sound particularly appealing.
We enter the grand dining room, the roof made of clear glass, giving a view of the azure above. The walls are mostly open, and a breeze scented with flowers rustles through the air. King Solano sits at a table at the head of the room. It has only a few chairs around it, two of them occupied. One by Brock, his grumpy second-in-command, the other by a male who glances my way, his eyes grazing down my body before he turns and says something to Solano.
Solano slams his goblet down, and the entire room pauses for a moment, every pointed ear straining to hear what the king is saying. But when he remains silent, the chatter starts anew.
He watches me as Lucidia leads me to one of the long tables, though this one is set slightly apart from the others and closer to Solano.
“You will dine here.” She points to a chair. “So the king may look upon you as he desires.”
“He wants to watch me eat?” I sit and wonder at all the golden utensils arranged around my plate.
Lucidia finally cracks a little and huffs, “If he wants to look at you, he can. If he doesn’t, he won’t. Comport yourself accordingly.”
I wince a little, half expecting her to smack the back of my head, but she doesn’t. Instead, she turns to leave.
“Hey, aren’t you going to eat?” I pat the seat beside me.
Now she looks scandalized, her eyes narrowing as she shakes her head. “Servants aren’t allowed to eat in the great dining hall. What sort of nonsense do they teach you in the night realm?” With that, she hurries away, her back straight and her matronly title fitting perfectly.
A changeling male sidesteps her and strides to the table, then takes the seat across from me despite the dozen or so places available.
“Hello.” He smiles, and dimples flirt from his cheeks. His hair is dark, but his eyes are a bright green. “I’m Tritus.” He holds out a hand that’s stained with various colors.
“Um, hi. I’m Emma.” I clasp his palm, but a low growl has me pulling back. Then I realize the growl is coming from behind me.
The room does that thing again where everything goes eerily silent. I cast a look over my shoulder. Solano is glaring at Tritus, and Brock is shaking his head.
