“It is perhaps best not to consume anything here,” Rawn said under his breath to the girls. “Faerie food is as mischievous as the Folk, I have come to find. The wine especially. Drink it, and you may lose yourself.”
That was the intention of wine. To lose all reason and care for nothing but keeping your cup filled. Celestials were not allowed to drink, but Cassiel had once, and he liked the fog. Until it led to waking half-naked with Dyna in his arms. As if she read his mind, her face flushed when they glanced at each other.
“Even with the King’s welcome, be careful with your words in this place,” Rawn added. “Take care not to offend or to enter any bargains. Leave no advantage against you.”
Dyna and Lucenna nodded.
Cassiel stood near their backs as he watched the crowd. Glaring at the males that looked at them too closely. Why did the princess choose such revealing dresses? The thin layers hardly covered Dyna’s skin. His eyes followed the trail of old jagged scars starting from her right collarbone and descending to her chest. Lacy embellishments highlighted soft curves he had no business noticing. With each step she took, the gossamer skirts twirled around her thighs. A passing fawn with deer horns eyed her legs, and Cassiel stepped in his view, looming over him. The fawn scampered off.
“We should split up to look for the Druid,” Lucenna said. “What does he look like, Rawn?”
“He…” Lord Norrlen blinked, frowning in confusion.
Zev crossed his arms. “Have you forgotten?”
“No. Pardon, it’s been many years since we last spoke. Leoake is a stocky, hunched fellow with an ashy beard long enough to touch the ground, and he carries a gnarled staff.”
“I’ll accompany Dyna to look for him,” Zev said.
“Accompany Lucenna,” Dyna suggested instead, looking away.
“What—”
She shook her head, refusing to look at him, but Cassiel saw the tears gathering on her lashes.
“Dyna,” Zev croaked, his voice ridden with guilt.
He reached for her, but she pulled her arm free and winced at the same time Cassiel did. He glanced at his unblemished wrist where he felt Zev’s nails had scratched him. Nothing was there, but Dyna had a shallow cut on hers. A chill washed over him as he rubbed his fingers over the stinging spot on his wrist.
Devastation contorted Zev’s features. “Dyna, I’m sorry. I—”
She pivoted on her heel and slipped into the crowd. He lowered his head.
“Watch her,” Zev mumbled at Cassiel as he stalked in the opposite direction.
Lucenna smirked and crossed her arms. “Well, go on then,PrinceCassiel.”
He glowered at her, annoyed that she knew who he truly was now.
Rawn sighed. “Very well, I will accompany Lady Lucenna if you will accompany—”
“Lord Norrlen,” Cassiel cut him off. “In the future, if I wish to reveal who I am, that will be by my doing alone.”
“Ah, forgive me. We cannot speak an untruth here, and the fae are bound by—”
“You will not speak for me again.” Cassiel left them, not sure why a fog of anger followed him. He tugged on that invisible strand in his soul absentmindedly, letting it guide his steps to the beacon he didn’t want to think about.
Yet he couldn’t ignore the fact that he could feel Dyna’s pain. His knee faintly ached in the same spot she was injured, and now his wrist. He didn’t know what any of it meant, and he didn’t want to. Cassiel glanced at a table with a fountain of gold wine spilling over the tiers.
He didn’t want to think of anything at all.
Chapter 26
Dynalya
Fae danced and writhed to the hypnotic music in a wave of bodies as a tune played on lutes and drums. Dyna drank it all in, wanting to remember every detail. King Dagden’s court was a blur of color. The air was heady with sweat, wine, a sweet woodland scent, and something … carnal. Some had dressed in mere scraps of sheer fabric or nothing but gold and silver paint. Many had swirling symbols on some part of their body that looked much more permanent.
Every so often, pairs would break away from the dancing mass for a tryst among the shadowy trees. Dyna focused on the music. It drummed in her ears, beating against her heart, filling her head like a siren song. The atmosphere pulsed with a dark energy that thrummed around her.
