She swallowed, grimacing as she forced the too-large bite down her gullet. “Isaid, ‘Can I help you?’”
“Ah,” said the knight, dragging his eyes from where they tracked the bob of Elyria’s throat with rapt attention. A flush threatened in her cheeks. “Well, yes, in fact,” he said. “You’re blocking the bacon.”
“There’s bacon?” Elyria’s voice jumped an octave as she whirled back to the table and grabbed the entire platter of glistening meat. The salty scent wafted into her nostrils and her mouth flooded.
Cedric coughed once more, and Elyria thought this time he might be covering a laugh. “May I?” he tried again, reaching for a slice.
Elyria tightened her hold on the platter and shuffled back a step.
“Stars above, woman,” he shook his head with a sigh. “You cannot possibly think yourself capable of eating that entire thing.”
Elyria’s skin prickled with challenge. “I thought it was made clear yesterday that you have no idea what I’m capable of.” She didn’t understand the emotion that flashed across Cedric’s face in response.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing her try,” Cyren called unhelpfully from the other side of the table. Next to him, Gael smacked the blue-haired fae on the shoulder and he laughed.
“Oh, stop hogging it, you fairy freak,” Leona Blackwood’s nasal voice cut in.
Elyria turned slowly toward the source of the insult. “I see what you did there. ‘Hogging it.’ Clever.” She popped a slice of dripping bacon between her lips, slurping as she sucked it into her mouth and resisting the urge to moan at the taste.
Leona’s brown eyes narrowed before she turned to Cedric. “What interesting company you keep, Sir Thorne.”
“Indeed,” rumbled Belien as he came up from behind. “This is who thegreat champion of Kingshelmdeigns to ally with?”
“Ahmnoh—” Elyria began to protest, her mouth again full.
“We’re not allies,” Cedric finished for her. Elyria grunted inconfirmation.
“Still.” Leona’s nose tipped up as her scornful gaze fell on Zephyr, standing at the other end of the table as she plucked a few grapes from a bowl.
Belien’s mouth twisted into a leer, his gaze flicking to Leona, who gave him an encouraging nod. “It’s just funny, isn’t it? The famed Sir Cedric Thorne, darling of Lord Leviathan Church, standing shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of freaks. If it’s not some knife-eared pixie, then it’s some herbwitch greenie. Guess the great knight has a thing for strays.”
Someknife-eared pixie?Elyria thought with irritation. Where was the fear of the Revenant when she needed it? Alas, she’d certainly heard worse. And had she been the only target of Belien and Leona’s ire, Elyria might have let the comment slide. But when she heard Zephyr’s sharp inhale, as if the sylvan had been struck clear across the face, it was all Elyria could do to keep herself from cracking the platter in her hands over Belien’s ginger head.
Cedric straightened beside her. “Such ugly words you spew, Larkin,” he said. “I would have thought losing Belis might inspire a kinder touch.”
Belien’s mouth twisted. “You will keep my sister’s name out of your mouth.” He leaned in closer. “Or you’ll find out soon enough, Thorne, what becomes of all the self-righteous fools who attempt the Crucible.”
Elyria finally set down the platter of bacon. “Four hells. Humans are so petty.” She huffed a dramatic sigh. “Did you forget where you are? You’re a champion bound to these stars-forsaken trials too. Exactly the same as him.”
“I’m not like him!” Cedric and Belien exclaimed simultaneously.
She ignored them both. “The fact that either of you are acting like we’re getting out of this alive is?—”
“Nobody asked you, fairy bitch,” Belien interrupted. The words were laced with venom, and Cedric’s hand twitched toward his sword hilt.
For a moment, Elyria wondered if the knight would strike out.
For a moment, she almost hoped he would.
“Enough.” Elyria’s voice was an icy whip as she stepped between Cedric and Belien.
Belien scoffed but took a step back, his bravado faltering. “Your pixie guardian here won’t always be around to fight your battles for you, Thorne,” he said, the threat clear in his voice.
“You’re welcome to try again anytime,” Cedric snapped back, voice low and menacing. It stirred something in Elyria’s core that she dutifully ignored.
Then Leona was tugging on Belien’s arm, pulling him away with a disdainful look cast in Elyria’s direction.
“Well, I never,” said Elyria, her hand draped dramatically over her forehead as if her delicate sensitivities couldn’t handle the words that had just been exchanged. Then she grinned at Cedric before snagging another piece of bacon from the table and taking a large bite.
