Page 90 of Death of a Mortal

5. Master of Coin,Master/LordFenric Vale - oversees the kingdom’s wealth, budget, and spending

6. Royal Chamberlain,Chamberlain/LordLuceron Vanthe - day-to-day castle operations, oversees servants, supplies, and scheduling

7. Royal Ambassador,His Excellency/Ambassador/LordZareth Corvalis - political advisor, relations with the continents, represents the crown

I had so many questions that I forgot all about Varyn and our library escapade. Prophecies? Grimoires and experimentation? I couldn’t help but lose my focus and let my mind wander to what magical training would entail.

I wondered if the rebellion knew about all thesepositions and who these fae were. Were they targets? Were any of them dangerous enough to be targets? Were any of themnotdangerous?

Thinking about the rebellion made me refocus. If this could someday be useful to them or to us, I had a reason to commit it to memory—more than just not slipping up at the dinner and ball and getting brutally murdered for it.

So I read it over and over until I could recite the whole page, top to bottom, without looking. Once I had done that three times without a mistake, I told Dumb I was ready to leave.

Ordering him around felt fantastic, on top of learning something useful for when I got out of here. So by the time I got back to my cell and laid down on the ground to sleep, I did so with a smile.

And that smile was still there when I woke up.

* * *

Day five wasmy best performance yet. I earned a small smile from Thalen, which he quickly covered up and pretended never happened, when I got through all three dances without being stepped on. The queen was more outwardly pleased with my ability to recite any position of the royal court at any point in the meal without forgetting the rules.

“You’ve done well. I think you’re ready for dinner with the king tomorrow as a final test.”

My breath caught in my chest as the beast in there perked its head up. I had forgotten that I would have to dine with the king before the ball.

“The ball will begin with dinner. Guests will be seated at tables surrounding the dance floor, and the royals and the court will dine together at the royal table. Once dinner concludes, the dancing will begin, and it is then customary for the heads of noble houses to greet the king. You will remain silent during the greetings unless spokento directly. If any fae asks you to dance from that point forward, you will oblige, and you will once again speak only when spoken to. I don’t think you need me to tell you what’s at stake should you offend any fae.”

“No, Your Majesty.” I bowed my head.

As soon as this ball was over, I needed to figure out an escape for Nella and me. I wasn’t interested in adding “Royal Puppet,Her MortalnessNaci Corren” to the queen’s list of roles.

So I slept fitfully that night, stressing over dinner with the king almost as much as the ball itself.

The queen didn’t come after lunch on the last day before the ball. Despite myself, I started practicing the dance steps as best as I could in the small cell, stubbing my toe more than once on a raised edge of the stone floor.

Far later than usual, she came and took me to the bathing chamber to bathe and dress for dinner with the king. I thought back to getting ready for dinner with all the royals, except that it was Nella who had helped brush and braid my hair, not the mute maidens. The thought made me miss her so much. It had been nearly a week since I last saw her.

Once I was dressed in the familiar simple green gown, the queen took me to the same dining room, and I took a deep breath. I could do this. Tonight, the focus was on pleasing the king. Tomorrow, the focus would be on the ball.

The next day? I would start planning our escape.

We entered, and the king stood from his spot at the head of the table, looking as imposing as always, the demon behind his eyes front and center. His presence alone set my heart racing.

“I’m here. Just take a deep breath. Talk to me if you get angry.”

“Thanks, Noxie, but this time I need to concentrate. We’ll talk later.”

The queen and I approached our places at the table and stood, waiting for the king to be seated. I made sure not to speak or make eye contact with him.

When he sat, we sat. I folded my hands lightly in my lap and sat up straight, as if I had a board attached to my back. The queen kept shooting me glances, but so far, I had been perfect. My racing heart was settling down.

She began telling him everything I had been working on this past week, preparing as I felt his hot, scrutinous stare on me. I still wondered what his vey form could be. What animals did fire Veythryn usually transform into? If Varyn were right, it would be some animal that complemented the heat. I couldn’t think of anything, since dragons were extinct.

The first course came, and neither the king nor the queen had spoken to me yet, so I stayed quiet, and I did not look at the servants. Maybe I would actually get through this dinner without incident.

“How do you feel dining with the king and queen as a mortal? You should be honored,” the king finally said, clearly addressing me. I should have known he wouldn’t let me off so easily.

My blood pounded in my ears, the fiery beast in my chest letting me know it was ready for action should it be needed.