A moment later, our two escorts step aside and the woman guarding the door announces our presence. “Asha Silverspun and the Vandawolf!”
Conversation within the room abruptly ceases. Chairs scrape as people turn in our direction.
We are suddenly the focus of everyone’s attention.
“The Vandawolf?” The Queen rises to her feet, her quick gaze flowing from Erik’s head to his feet, her golden eyes narrowing before she wipes her expression clean.
He’s relaxed beside me but has a far more formidable presence now that he isn’t lying, near-dead, on a stretcher. He stands a full head taller than me, his dark hair slicked back, his muscular build clearly visible beneath the clothing he was given.
His focus sweeps around the room and I suspect he’s able to take in far more than me—sounds, smells, heartbeats—but he gives nothing of his thoughts away.
There’s a lot to take in, even for me, including the way both Thaden and Gallium have half-risen out of their seats while Tamra’s face is like stone. I don’t imagine she was expecting to see Erik, but his new appearance doesn’t seem to have changed her feelings about him.
The Queen presses her hand to Tamra’s shoulder, her fingers closing tightly around my sister’s arm, while neither of them takes their eyes off Erik.
“Well,” Karasi says, breaking into an overly bright smile. “I can’t think of a more delightful surprise. Welcome, Vandawolf. Come, eat with us. There’s plenty of food.”
She gestures to the far end of the table with the empty seats and the single dinner setting.
With a glance at Erik, I head straight for that spot, needing this moment to be over, although… judging by the way the Queen watches us… I doubt we’ll escape her attention at all tonight.
She remains on her feet as we take our seats. I’m now sitting directly opposite her with a space of twenty seats between me and her.
Her smile hasn’t faded. “Now, we’re just waiting for one more guest before we can eat.”
One more?There are no other dinner settings on the table, although there are plenty of empty chairs around me.
A second later, there’s movement at the door and the guard calls out again. “Dusana of the Dusk.”
I stiffen at the sight of the petite woman who tried to kill me and Erik in the mountains. I remember the way she declared that killing me was her ticket to fame and glory. She wanted to take Elowynn’s place as the Queen’s Champion.
I told Erik all about it. Where he now sits directly to my left, I can easily discern the tension in his features, the sudden ice in his eyes.
I reach for his hand under the table, only to find that he’s already reaching for mine. His palm presses against the medallions, closing tightly, as if to urge me to cage my anger.
I’m not sure what kind of game the Queen might plan to play with me tonight, assuming she tells Dusana to sit with me.
At the other end of the table, Karasi is still speaking.
“Welcome, Dusana,” she cries. “We were waiting for you.”
Dusana sweeps into the room, her golden hair decorated with flowers, her long, pink gown trailing behind her. She’s even more beautifully dressed than the other fae at the table. In fact, her dress looks nearly exactly like one of the dresses the Queen sent me, which means it could have been a gift.
Dusana seeks me across the distance, her brown eyes gleaming at me and a smirk on her lips.
Gliss assured me that Dusana would be punished for disobeying the Queen, but it seems not.
As Erik warned me: Never trust a fae.
Chapter26
Queen Karasi takes a quick step away from the table, releasing my sister’s shoulder to greet Dusana. “Darling, you look lovely in the dress I sent you.”
Dusana gives a low curtsy. “Queen Karasi, I’m honored.”
“Oh, dearest, please rise.” Queen Karasi beams while Dusana returns to her feet. The Queen briefly takes both of Dusana’s hands. “My dear, you are radiant.”
Without waiting for Dusana to reply, Karasi swings to Elowynn, who has stayed a step behind the Queen. “Elowynn, doesn’t Dusana look radiant?”
