Page 93 of Death of a Mortal

Situated at the end, the entire table stretched out to my right. This meant I could see everyone. Keep my eye on everyone.

“Breathe. I’ve got a whole slew of escape plans in the making, just waiting for you to get through tonight.”

I didn’t realize I hadn’t been breathing. Exhaling slowly, I folded my hands in my lap and slipped into the puppet I had trained all week to be.

The rest of the court was unassuming and, well, as seemingly nonthreatening as any fae could be.

Dinner was served, and the court mostly talked amongst themselves, some occasionally speaking with the royals. Except Ambassador Zareth. He just quietly stared at me, taking slow sips of his wine.

“Zareth,” someone said from down the table, “I hear congratulations are in order.”

The male chuckled slightly, finally taking his eyes from me. “I believe so. Though His Majesty, of course, is to thank for my success overseas.”

I stopped mid-bite as a chill went through my body. I knew that voice; I had heard it twice, once from under the carriage ride into Dolvenar and again hiding in the storage room by the dungeons. He had talked about a celebration in his honor and plans for purging Vydran and Ashenholt of mortals…

Gods, this washim. This was the male. And if he had been successful overseas, he must have sealed an alliance with Fellendral and Vydran.

I realized I was staring a beat too late. He caught me.

“I don’t believe I’ve had the…pleasure of meeting your honored guest, Prince Varyn.”

The way he said “pleasure” brought the king’s threats to the top of my mind, making me resist a squirm.

“Naci Corren,” Varyn replied.

I didn’t like the flutters I felt at hearing him say my name.

“I see. Well, Naci, I see you, like me, don’t fancy the meal at the moment. Will you dance with me?” He stood, and so did I, on instinct.

I first looked to the queen down the table, who gave me the slightest nod, then to the king, who watched with amusement. Then my heart dipped at seeing Varyn beside me, not meeting my eye at all.

Slowly, my gaze made its way back to Zareth, and the smile on his face and the glint in his yellow eyes made me want to run.

But I wasn’t allowed to say no.

I smiled a small, obedient smile, gave a small curtsy, and said, “I would be honored, my lord.” I took his hand, and it felt like the devil’s in mine.

There was no one else on the dance floor. Dancing wasn’t supposed to start until after dinner. And everyone was still eating, including the guests. His smile dared me to back down. He intended to humiliate me. I wished I could grab him by the oiled blonde hair and slam his smug face into the tables we passed.

All eyes had found us, and I could feel the weight of every single stare.

When the orchestra, off to one side of the ballroom, saw us on the dance floor, they began a new song. One that sounded like my demise pulled across the stringed instruments.

Hand still held in his, he wrapped his other around my waist, making me recoil.

And then we danced. I concentrated on my steps, trying to drown out the dread that was building in my bones.

“Do you fear me, Naci?” He lowered his head and drew a deep breath in through his nose, barely an inch from my neck. “I can smell that you do.”

Gods, that was unsettling. Could all fae smell fear, or was that just part ofhisabilities?

“I’m not sure what you mean, my lord,” was all I could think to say.

“You look like you’d rather be enduring the king’s torture than my company right now.”

Then he spun me in circle after circle, lifting me into the air at the end and holding me there. He just stared at me above him, and I got the ominous feeling that this male might be the nobleman the king referred to as the one who enjoys mortal ornaments. Caedryn had told me then that I would have to be his whore if that’s what the male wanted.

I prayed that wasn’t true. Everything about the way the male was staring at me was wrong, hungry and hateful at the same time. He licked his sharp canines and raked his eyes down my body.