Page 103 of Queen of Nothing

It’s an effort to not shovel the strips of duck and fresh strands of fettuccine into my mouth. I have to actively force myself to be polite, to remember my manners, manners I lost somewhere along the way.

Dray lets me eat in peace for a while.

It’s only when I’m starting to slow down and relax in the chair that he says, “My mother is pleased you are returning. She did attempt to call a few times too many as we were boarding.”

Staring down at my plate, I shake my head. “No one is happy to see me come home. They’re just relieved I’m back so they can put an end to the rumours.”

Politics and all.

Reputations.

No actual love for me.

But Dray surprises me—

“Rumours? No one knows you are gone, Olivia.”

I flick my glower up at him.

His stare is unflinching, a quiet challenge.

I force down a swallow. “What do you mean? I’ve been gone for years.”

“Yes.”

“But the Videralli don’t know I’m gone?”

He answers, “Not outside of the coven.”

The face I make is confused, an unkind grimace. “How?”

Dray gives a smile that chills my spine. “Asta’s illusions have gotten much better with practice.”

For a heartbeat, two, I just stare at him. His cold, unyielding gaze.

Then a scoff jolts me.

Asta has been illusioning herself to look like me, to play a part, a role, with my face?

It feels like an intrusion.

A violation.

I set the cutlery down, a tad harder than I should, then slide off the chair.

Dray watches me stand but he says nothing as I toss the napkin onto the table.

My canvas-style sneakers thud on the hardwood floor.

I pass James who sits alone.

Huddled up against the window, his lashes are low enough that, at first look, I think he’s asleep.

But he isn’t.

He just watches the clouds.

His suit is finer than any I ever thought I would see on him, his hair is clean and properly combed, no oil glistening on his nose or chin, the way it used to all the time back at the academy.