A few moments pass while he blinks expectantly, one goblet in each hand.
“What?” I rasp.
“I asked if you’d like some wine.”
“Oh…” My mouth waters. I haven’t eaten or drank anything since this morning. Father wasn’t thoughtful enough to provide any snacks for the journey in his carriage. Still, I wasn’t born yesterday. “I don’t drink poisoned wine.”
Tauren rolls his eyes. “I wouldn’t taint perfectly good wine with poison if I wanted you dead.” Stepping over to the fireplace, he places one goblet on a low table before taking a seat in a large armchair. “Please.” He sweeps his arm towards a nearby chaise longue. “Sit with me.”
I almost laugh. “No.”
“No?” A smirk eases across his jaw. “Sit with me.”
My legs sweep out from beneath me, and I’m forced forward by invisible hands. When my knees hit the chaise, my world upturns. I collapse in a heap onto the plush fabric. “Stop it!” I scramble up to a sitting position. “Whatever magic you’re doing, stop it!”
Tauren shrugs. “If you behaved, I would have no reason to compel you.”
“If you weren’t such an arse, then maybe I would?—”
“Silence.”
My lips clamp shut. No matter how hard I try, no words can slip past his compulsion. I want to scream, yell every obscene word I can think of. But all I can do is glare as my captor grins wolfishly.
“I’m assuming you have many questions.” He leans back in his chair. “And I will answer them for you, if you can do one thing for me.”
Panic catches my breath as his gaze lowers to my lips. He lifts his magic just enough to allow me to reply in a shaking voice, “What is it that you want me to do?”
He clicks his fingers. A horned servant rushes into the room carrying a plate of something delicious-smelling. “Eat,” he commands before the servant places the food down in front of me and leaves with a quick bow. “I’m sure you’ve had a long day, and my court thrives during the nights. So, while you are here, you will eat and sleep according to our schedule.”
My lips pop apart. The plate is loaded with some kind of meat, sauce, and buttery mashed potatoes. It looks divine, and if I were at home with my sisters, I’d have eaten half of it already.
But I’m not at home. And my sisters aren’t here, either.
“I’m not touching any of that.” As I speak my stomach lets out an angry roar.
Tauren arches a brow. “I’d strongly encourage you to reconsider. Eating under compulsion is not an enjoyable experience, for you or anyone nearby.”
My fingers twist in my skirt. I don’t want to eat food delivered by a monster. But I’d also rather throw myself off the balcony than let him use his magic on me again. “Fine.” I snatch up the fork. “You get your wish.” Scooping up as much potato as I can, I thrust it into my mouth and chew in a way that would make Blossom flip a table.
Tauren shakes his head, turning to watch the fireplace. I want to keep annoying him. I want to attack this meal like a pig in the woods, but the moment the potato hits my tongue I can’t do anything other than moan.
“Oh Stars,” I sigh. The plate is clean within minutes. I’ve never tasted food so heavenly. When I finally lower my fork, Tauren is watching me with a smug grin.
“Satisfied?” he asks.
Any pleasure I felt moments ago jumps off the side of this tower. “It was decent,” I lie. “Could’ve done with more seasoning, though. And you didn’t bring me any dessert. No meal is ever complete until I’ve had at least some form of chocolate.” I relax into the chaise.
The chocolate part isn’t a lie. There’s always room for chocolate. I wonder what monster chocolate tastes like?—
“What are you?” The questions bursts out before I can stop myself. “I mean, you can do magic so you’re obviously not human.” Even if he looks like one.
He studies me for a moment before replying, “You’re in the demon court. Myself and every being you’ve met here so far has been a demon.”
“What?” I almost lose my dinner. “You’re ademon?”
“Yes.” He takes a sip of wine. “I thought it would’ve been obvious when you arrived in my throne room.”
I shudder thinking of the horned, monstrous-looking creatures I met less than an hour ago. How small I felt.
