Propriety testing?I scrunched up my face. “That sounds horribly boring.” I went to put another bite of eggs to my mouth and Gunner watched me raise the spoon like a hawk. Dropping the fork to my plate, I pinned him with a glare.
“Either you’ve poisoned this or Luka has tasked you with making sure I eat all of my food like a five-year-old. Which is it?” I growled.
His cheeks turned rosy. “Sorry, ma’am. No poison. It’s the latter. Luka said you might be … feisty, but that I should be sure you eat properly to sustain good health during the feedings.”
I groaned, ripping off a bite of toast and chewing it aggressively. Dammit, I wasn’t sure if that was annoying or romantic!
I changed the subject. “So you’re fey?”
He shook his head. “Ithaki. Fey-vampire mix.” He peeled his lips back to show tiny vampire canine teeth.
I froze, totally weirded out by the fact that the fey could mix with any of the races. Hearing it from Luka was one thing, seeing it was another.
“Ithaki?” I tried to play dumb. I’d heard a bit about them at the society, and from what Demi told me yesterday, which was a whole lot of nothing. I wanted to know more.
He nodded. “Fey have special magic that assists with the interbreeding of their DNA with any of the other races.”
Crazy.
“Even humans?” I tried to act casual but he froze, looking at me more minutely.
“It’s forbidden of course, to mix magical races and humans, but I suppose it would work.”
“Cool,” I said, then changed the subject quickly. “So who do you want to be king?”
He relaxed, his shoulders softening as he cleared away the dishes. “Makes no matter to me. I get paid either way, but Master Luka seems like he would be the most tolerable.”
I bobbed my head in agreement. “Who is the least tolerable?” I wanted to know who Luka was up against. I knew the entire family tree.
His features sharpened, and he eyed me with suspicion. Probably thought I was trying to get him into trouble.
“Is Morgana one of the contestants?” I amended.
He relaxed a little at that and nodded. “She is.”
Great. The aunt who paid the Shadow Bloods to kill him that night at Bang.
When I put the last piece of bacon in my mouth, he stopped watching me so closely.
I showed him my empty plate. “You can report to Prince Luka that I have finished my breakfast like a good little girl.”
He chortled. “Yes, ma’am. Why don’t you change and then I will bring you to the banquet hall.” He indicated to a stack of clothes that were folded on the chair next to me. I picked them up, expecting it to be a uniform of sorts, and frowned when I saw just an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants.
“Uhh, why?” I looked down at my skinny ripped jeans and midriff camisole.
When I looked up at Gunner, his cheeks were pink. “Miss Bane wanted me to impress upon you that she’s taken note of your … beauty, and if you wish to remain as Luka’s feeder, you must try to … dress down in his presence.”
My mouth popped open. Dress down! In this potato sack? Cassara, that controlling little witch. I stood up and glared at Gunner. “You’re right. I should change. I’ll be ready to go in a minute.”
Grabbing the clothes Cassara had sent for me, I stormed back to my room. The second I got inside, I chucked them against the back wall and opened my duffle bag, because I had yet to fully unpack.
If Cassara wanted to play, I could play.
* * *
Gunner didn’t saya word when I walked out of the room in my new outfit. He just shook his head in resignation. Now I walked up to the banquet hall with Gunner wearing tiny jean shorts and black fishnet stockings, teamed with an emerald-green silk tank that had black lace trim. I’d also thrown on some smoky eye shadow and red lipstick to match my hair. All complete with my black leather knee-high boots.
Bring it, Cassara. You want me to look like a frumpy old feeder? Hah. Not while I was still breathing.
