“Rain stay with Jenni.”
I sighed. Not this again. “Jenni, I don’t want to talk about this. Dey will be here any minute to take me to dinner.”
“No dinner. Rain stay with Jenni.”She gave a loud squawk and spit out a tiny stream of fire to augment her command.
“I’m sorry, Jenni, but I have to leave. I’ll be back later this evening.” When my words were met with squawks of protest, Idecided to opt for bribery. I opened the drawer of my nightstand and pulled out one of the sharp pins she was so fond of stealing.
I held it out to her. “Will a present make up for my absence?”
The ball of fire she let out made her opinion on that pretty clear, so I jabbed the pin into the long braid that had been twisted into a crown atop my head and walked over to the wardrobe.
I couldn’t quite reach her, so I extended my arm as a perch.
She didn’t move.“No dinner. Rain no come back.”
“Jenni,” I said, dropping my hand. “I will come back. I always come back. You don’t need to worry. I’ll bring you a yummy treat, okay?”
The knock on the door pulled me from my negotiations, and I gave Jenni one last apologetic look. “It’ll be fine, Jenni. I’ll see you soon.”
I slipped out of my room, closing the door before Dey could glimpse my cranky crescia.
His formal regalia was quite stunning, and a week ago I might have drooled at the sight of him in his rich blue jacket and silver embroidered white vest. Diamond buttons ran up either side of the tail coat that he left open to show the elaborate design of the fitted garment underneath.
Dey was truly the embodiment of Prince Charming, and I couldn’t care less.
I barely heard my name announced as we swept into the Grand Hall and the excessive opulence stole my breath away.
Circular tables filled the majority of the room, each one covered with a rich burgundy tablecloth and a dazzling, diamond-encrusted animal statuette. Chandeliers the size ofsmall cars hung from the ceiling, and off to the right side, a twelve piece orchestra played a soft concerto.
What truly ensnared me though, was the beguiling display of magic throughout the hall.
Against each wall, an aquiservian maintained flowing ribbons of water that shifted through startlingly accurate ten-foot-tall renditions of each king and their court’s competitors. Igniservians directed flaming bird constructs that flitted about the edges of the hall, while aeriservians kept afloat shimmery clouds of tiny sparkles that danced around the room above the guest's heads. The glittering clouds looked familiar, and I suspected that my father was literally throwing diamonds around like confetti.
Sounds of astonishment filtered out from a growing crowd at the center of the grand hall and curiosity had me tugging Dey toward the commotion. I gasped as I took in the scene. Six earth casters stood around the edge of a raised circular platform roughly twenty feet in diameter, rhythmically swirling their arms. In the center, three marble couples danced and twirled to the music as if they were truly alive. The details in the living statues were exquisite. With smiling faces and silent laughter, they moved in sync with their stone partner, gowns flowing and shifting with each step.
The Elemental Games had showcased combat skills, but this… this was art. For as much as I had dreaded it, I had to admit that the banquet truly was an incredible celebration of the four elements.
Dey led me to a table with a considerably more elaborate centerpiece than all the rest, and I took the seat he directed me toward. Kinyx sat across the table from me, looking adorably nervous yet puffed up with pride. Harpyn occupied the seat beside him, and surprisingly, the brutal terriservian didn’t give me his usual nasty grin. Instead he maintained a death-glareat Cam sitting across from him. Probably assuming Cam had something to do with Ram’s presence in the games.
“Cam,” I said excitedly. “Come sit next to me.”
He shifted over to take the seat off to my right while Dey remained seated to my left.
“How’s Ram?” I asked.
Worry flickered over Cam’s face. “He is resting. His healing magic is not the best so he will need some time to recover from the… burns.”
“He’ll be okay, though? None of his injuries are permanent?”
“No, Princess. He will recover with time.” Cam leaned closer and whispered, “I will never be able to repay you for what you did today. My brother and I owe you our lives.”
I smiled weakly, uncomfortable under the awe and appreciation in his gaze.
Slinging my arm around his neck, I leaned in to give him a side hug. “I’m just glad to hear he’ll be on his feet and teasing me again in no time.”
Pulling back, I noted the four remaining empty seats around our table. “Who else is joining us besides the kings?” I asked Dey.
He gave me a sidelong glance. “It is a great honor for the champions to dine with the kings.”
