The crowd quieted as Draven stood at the edge of the table. “For dinner this evening, I present to you a lightly seared Bluefin tuna belly with a generous portion of Beluga caviar to complement the natural flavors of the fish. To the right, you will find creamed potatoes made with a salty anchovy oil, and directly across you will see a radicchio salad tossed in a champagne reduction. Enjoy.” Draven left the room with the kitchen staff trailing.
Cutlery clanked as I picked up the glass in front of me and drew in a sip. I focused on my drink for several moments before reluctantly shifting to my plate. Carefully, I picked up only a small amount of the radish salad, being sure it was just enough to cover the silver tines of the fork. If I stretched out the portion and continued to look busy, it wouldn’t be too obvious that I wasn’t touching anything else.
“I should have told you to wait,” Leanna said softly. “Traditionally, you wait for the host to give the opening toast, and others can follow—but onlyafterthe host.”
Before I could reply, Maris huffed and struck with her words. “It’s no wonder Audryn doesn’t have any manners, she’s a Clair.”
“Leave!” Ryder scowled, not waiting a moment for her dig to land.
But she remained seated as all eyes at the table dartedbetween Ryder and Maris. Mine attempted to stay focused on my plate as a full wave of nausea crashed into me. Getting through dinner proved to be one of the most arduous tasks I’d faced; one that might send me home.
I couldn’t recall when it had happened, but my desire to return home had disappeared during my stay. In fact, even my desire to kill the king and get the name of my brother’s executioner had subsided. Winning Ryder had become my main priority—my only priority.
“Why?” Maris’s voice was less than a whisper, but with the silent table we all heard her words.
“I said leave.” Ryder’s voice was gravely while his eyes remained frozen on the woman. “Now, or I will remove you myself!” His hands had turned into clenched balls, his thrumming on the table a distant tic.
“Go to your room, and I’ll have your dinner sent up to you,” Leanna said, as she patted the top of Maris's hand.
The brown-eyed woman stood and lifted her chin as tears streamed down her face. By the grace of the Divine, she kept her head held high as she walked out of the dining hall—something I couldn’t have done.
Ryder turned his attention to me, which was the absolute last thing I needed considering my stomach was a bubbling mess. Despite only eating a few bites, my stomach had bloated with a heavy fullness. Almost fifteen minutes after our food was served, I’d had half the radish salad, but hadn’t touched anything else. Plates and cutlery clicked around the table, but the conversations had stalled; the silence became deafening.
“You aren’t eating.” Ryder narrowed his sights on me. I’d become nothing more than a bag full of sand for him to verbally punch, and was within his reach for a knockout blow.
“I had a late lunch.” Another rumble moved across my belly as I sipped my wine.
“I can hear your hunger, don’t lie.” Ryder pushed and leaned in. “No. More. Lies.”
For a moment I considered keeping up the ruse, but my stomach would betray me with another grumble. I shook my head and lowered my voice. “I don’t eat fish, remember? No fish or fishlike things.” Attempting to lighten the mood, I offered an airy chuckle for good measure.
Leanna set her fork down on her plate, her body going still. Another wave of nausea rolled over me, and beads of sweat trickled down my back. The pressure of performing well at the dinner had gotten to me more than I’d realized.
“My kitchen staff has created a delicious meal.” Ryder placed a haughty hand on my thigh once more and bore down. “You will not act like a petulant child.”
“I don’t feel well,” I admitted and splayed a hand across my stomach. I was cramping, and something was terribly wrong. Even with the worst of nerves, I’d never felt so ill.
A shiny silver fork darted in front of me, and my fish disappeared from my plate. My eyes shot up to see the caviar trickling off the top as Grave moved the fish to his plate and began cutting into it.
“I don’t need your help.” I reached across and stabbed my fork into the filet. Quickly, I brought it back to my plate, the top of the fillet was practically bare. The caviar sat scattered in the center of the table. He went to stab the fish once more, but I fended him off using my fork as a weapon. Grave jerked his hand back, flicked his own shiny armament in the air, and smirked at my attempted forking.
A look of indignation marked Ryder’s face; he might’ve contemplated dragging me out by my hair at that very moment.
I cut into the sea beast and took a bite while fighting back a quivering stomach. The taste was foul, and I bit back heaves with each chew. Streaks of sweat dripped from my brow and streamed down the sides of my heated face. Beads of perspirationturned into rivers trailing down to my ass as my stomach grumbled once more.
The amusement fell from Grave’s face, replaced by concern. “Are you okay?” Amalee placed a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it away. “You’re unwell.”
“She’s fine,” Ryder snarled. “Iwill ask if she is okay.”
“Then ask!” Grave snapped. “She doesn’t appear well, and you’ve yet to notice! Maybe if you weren’t so busy with a bottle, you’d see what’s in front of you.”
“Please don’t speak as if I’m not sitting right here.” I scowled at the king and then turned to Ryder. “Something’s wrong—I’m seriously ill.” Half a breath later, the fish swam up from the sea in my belly and back into my mouth. Covering my mouth with a hand, I forced it down with a thick, disgusting swallow. Tasting it a second time was worse than the first—as if that were at all possible.
“Are you okay?” Leanna asked.
“I said she’s fine!” Ryder snapped.
Grave scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Clearly.”
