“Did you, now?” Nikolay smirked.
“I sent her home.”
His eyes narrowed.
“It'smynight. I performed, so I get you to myself.”
“Is that how it is?” Nikolay chuckled, his good humor returning with my show of jealousy.
The Swan King was easy to manipulate if you knew the tricks, but one misstep could prove deadly. After all, no one liked to be manipulated, but a king's pride demands that any manipulation be punished. Violently and publicly.
“Lord Mikhail is your consort?” the Kaplan's voice lost its warmth.
The Swan King zeroed in on that reaction like a professional poker player. I nearly groaned.
“Yes, Misha is my favorite,” Nikolay drawled as he trailed a hand down my throat and hooked his finger in the collar of my shirt. “Although he's not my only lover, he is my only consort.”
The tiger grunted.
“Dinner is ready to be served, Your Majesty,” a servant announced from the arched doorway at the end of the room. He bowed to the King, then retreated.
No one moved.
Nikolay pretended not to hear, continuing to stroke my throat with that delving finger as he held my gaze. His grip on my collar combined with the pressure of his finger to produce a strangling effect, but I didn't try to stop him or make any protest. And no one dared to interrupt him or bring the dinner announcement to his attention. They only waited, conversations lowered to murmurs while they watched the King toy with me.
Finally, Niko lowered his hand, but only halfway, presenting his forearm to me. “Attend me, Misha. You're right; you deserve a reward for such a brilliant performance. Lord Konstantin, as my honored guest, you'll sit at my side.”
Gasping in a breath, I set my hand on Nikolay's forearm and inclined my head to him, but as he led me through the waiting court and into the dining room, I wondered which performance he was referring to—the one onstage or the one I'd just given. My ability to manipulate the Swan King was not a testament to his stupidity. On the contrary, he was as sharp-minded as they came. Cunning even. I often wondered if he let me have these minor triumphs to amuse himself.
Once we had entered the dining room, the rest of the Larch Court followed, taking their places behind delicate chairs but not sitting in them. They waited as we strolled to the end of the long line of tables set end-to-end down the center of the rectangular room. Only after the King took the throne-like chair at the head of the final table (the other end near the door was reserved for his future spouse), did the rest of us sit. I sat to Niko's right, and Konstantin sat across from me on the King's left—the guest chair.
So much ridiculous etiquette, but that's court for you. And it didn't stop there. Although the first course was instantly brought to the table, no one even glanced at their silverware until the King took his first bite. Then it was as if an audible seal had been popped; the sound of silver upon porcelain and the murmur of voices returned.
“You have a strange accent, Lord Konstantin,” the King noted.
“I was summoned from America, where I have lived for many years.”
“America?” I asked. “Which part?”
“I live in the Oregon Zone.”
“A zone? You serve a Gargoyle?” Nikolay took a bite of his caviar blini appetizer, then set it aside and sat back.
A waiter swooped in and took the plate, rushing off to get the King something else he might prefer. Our poor chefs had to be prepared with several options for each course, even though Niko approved every menu the day before.
“No, I moved there so that I would have no master.” Konstantin glanced at me and then back at Nikolay. “I'm a carpenter by trade.”
“A carpenter?” The King leaned forward, making it impossible for the waiter to deliver his new appetizer, but he didn't spare the man a single glance. “The Garin Clan sent me a carpenter to investigate our murders?”
“They asked me to take this case because your life is at risk and I'm the best. As I said, I moved away so I wouldn't be beholden to the work my clan does here, but I made an exception for such a special case.” Konstantin shoved a whole blini into his mouth and chewed while he smirked.
I'd never seen such smug chewing before.
“I see.” Nikolay finally leaned back and allowed the waiter to deposit a little plate before him. “I'm glad the Garin are taking this seriously.”
“Thank you for making such a long journey to help us,” I said what Niko should have. “Our people are getting scared.”
“My pleasure,” Konstantin nearly purred the word as he stared at me.
