The banquet hall was cozier than I expected. While I'd never been to a banquet hall at a castle before, I'd heard servants talk about them and the magnitude of people that sat, ate, gossiped, and drank until the wee hours of the night.
This was not so different.
The wooden tables were shaped in aU, and instead of chairs, the tables were low to the ground. Everybody sat on plush pillows. Sweeping red and black drapes hung from the high ceiling, hiding the servants that moved in and out around them.
Kane sat at the head of the table. The brown-haired pixie, Ella, I think they called her, re-braided the side of his hair, twisting the thin strands and threading it with what looked like miniature skulls. Of course, I’d notice dead snapdragons anywhere. The tiny flowers had an unmistakable quality that any herbalist would recognize.
A black crown sat on his head, slightly crooked. The jagged spikes held tiny glittering emeralds. It was the first time I had seen him wearing it.
With a goblet in one hand, an arm draped over his bent leg, and the top three buttons of his white shirt undone, Kane exuded the carefree attitude of a king with nothing to lose.
As I entered, his judging amber gaze landed on me. Thosedark brows of his looked too much like my own. It was the only thing we had in common.
The goblin led me to an open seat, left of Kane just a few feet down, and Liora moved toward the edge of the room where other servants awaited orders.
A fae with silvery-blond hair, beautiful beige skin, and stormy blue eyes sat next to me. His strong, narrow nose and perfectly set jaw screamed with regality.
Gitz did not announce me to the court and other than a few odd glances in my direction, no one seemed to care that I had joined dinner.
The dress I wore had no tight-fitting corset or strings. It was a coral garment with thin straps cinching at my shoulders that flowed easily as I sat; the sleeves cascading out around me, slitted, making it easier to move around. Tiny rosebuds decorated the bodice adding a nice floral touch. Even though I dressed beautifully, it was impossible to look anything other than homely next to all these exquisitely perfect fae.
The fae next to me smiled and he had no pointy teeth.
Did that mean he was friend or foe?
“Gideon,” he said, holding up his goblet.
“I'm Deirdre,” I responded, looking at the array of food before me.
It didn't seem like there was much meat on the table. There were brightly colored salads filled with vibrant little pansy flowers. Next to it was a bowl of frosted cranberries, roasted squash, and lots of pastries. I recognized the lavender shortbread cookies near Kane. They were the same ones he had shared with me that night in the kitchen. Most of the meat was near Kane and the dwarf sitting next to him.
A bowl of thick orange soup sat in front of me. The savory scent of pumpkin, sage, and thyme wafted off the top. I didn’t see any sort of utensils on the table, then I remembered fae ate with their hands.
Not wanting to appear completely ignorant, I glanced at the fae across from us and noticed how they brought the soup bowls to their mouths and picked at the salads and breads with their hands.
“I see Kane has finally let you out of your cage,” Gideon said, taking the carafe of wine in front of him and pouring some into my goblet.
Eyeing the bronze cup, I wasn’t sure if it was safe to drink.
“Honeysuckle wine,” he said. “And I highly recommend it.”
“Thank you.” I took the offered drink and had a few sips. The wine was thick, sweet, and honeyed. It coated my throat and sent a rush of warmth down into my chest.
Maybe Iwouldsurvive tonight.
I glanced over at Kane whose attention was on a female fae sitting on his other side. Her silvery-blond hair was like Gideon’s. The two whispered to one another.
It was the first time I wondered if Kane had any mistresses. He wasn’t married, and it was common for kings to have… well, whatever they wanted.
It shouldn't matter, though. I didn't care what he did. He was just another monster I needed to figure out how to slay.
“Hi!” A stunning female with the same blue eyes and blonde hair as Gideon plopped onto the cushion next to me.
“Deirdre, this is my youngest sister, Juliana.”
“Hello,” I said.
She smiled widely, revealing perfectly white teeth. The shimmering dust on her cheeks sparkled under the candlelight.
