Kyella
The Lords led me back through the throne room to an adjacent private dining room for dinner with the Empress. In the middle of the room, which featured a gorgeous view of the palace grounds, lay a banquet table full of food and goblets of blood. The sight had me faltering in my steps and looking at Kolvar in alarm. I had no idea how to handle a situation like this, where my hunger would be tested so directly.
Kolvar knew I needed blood, but the others didn’t, and my place in this empire was already on the line with the queen. What if this discovery changed her mind on letting me stay? The hunger I felt would prove that I wasn’t normal, and I didn’t want to be someone’s pet again. An oddity.
I was mentally cursing myself for abstaining from the blood in my room. I should’ve forced myself to drink then so that I could casually pick at the normal food in small bites. No one would’ve thought twice of my small appetite, I’m sure. But to have to sit there while they all drank blood? I wasn’t sure I could do this.
“It’ll be okay,” Kolvar assured, but I saw the concern in his hazel eyes.
He wasn’t sure how this would play out either, and he knew full well the weight of this dinner’s impact on the rest of my life.
The Empress pushed from the end chair, spreading her arms in welcome. “Please, have a seat. Thank you for joining me for dinner.” Her eyes landed on me. “Kyella, I hope you find this food to your liking. My chef prepared it all specially for you.”
As we approached our seats, I swore I saw a flash of mirth dancing across her face. I had no idea what was humorous about any of this; I had to be imagining it… Right?
Dakath guided me to the seat directly to the right of the Empress, and I tucked myself in, forcing a smile to my face that hopefully didn’t betray my nerves. “Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty. No matter your decision here, I’m thankful to have been treated so well.”
Her eyes fell to the necklace at my throat and narrowed. Ignoring my statement, she asked, “Do you know what flower that is?”
Surprised, I took a moment to respond as I tried to find my words. Tucking a stray strand of hair that tickled my cheek behind my ear, I shook my head. “No. This was my mother’s necklace, but she died while giving birth to me. No one else I’ve met knows the flower.”
The Empress seemed unsurprised by my answer, only serving to further confuse me, and gestured to a plate of meat directly in front of me. “Please, help yourself. I know it might feel odd to eat alone, but it will not offend me.”
Instead of my mouth watering at the sight of the meat, my gaze drifted to her full goblet of the sweet crimson substance I truly desired. My tongue darted out to wet my lip, tasting the sweet flavor of the balm.
Tilting her head inquisitively, she held the goblet out to me, making it clear my hunger had been obvious. “Or is this what you want?”
Kolvar went deathly still next to me, mimicking my posture. My gaze darted to Elijah and Dakath, mirrored faces of confusion twisting their features.
I ignored the hunger that slammed into me full force, swallowing my desire to take the goblet.
“No, why would I want that?” I asked, forcing a laugh like it was a joke.
The room grew tense with silence, and the Empress’s voice turned sharp. “Take a sip, Kyella.”
This couldn’t be happening. Why had I thought I would be able to hide it? Especially from someone who saw everything around her.
My heart hammered so loudly in my chest that I was sure their sensitive hearing would pick up on how nervous I was. Pursing my lips in faux disgust, I winced. “I’d rather not drink blood, Your Majesty.”
With a move so quick even my heightened senses had issues tracking her, the Empress placed the edge of the goblet to my lips. Before I could protest, the liquid dribbled onto my lips, and the animalistic instinct to provide nourishment for my body overcame me. Greedily grabbing the goblet, I drained it quickly. It didn’t taste as good as Kolvar’s blood, but it did serve to quench the hunger stirring in my belly.
I came back to reality after a moment, peeling open my eyes, which had apparently closed in bliss while drinking. The Empress was back in her chair, smiling smugly to herself.
“What just happened?” Dakath demanded. My stomach clenched as I tried to read his expression and figure out how he felt besides stunned.
Elijah was quick to put the pieces together. “Is this why you didn’t let anyone else near her on the journey here? So she could drink blood to recoup her energy?”
“That makes sense. Explains why you appear so healthy after what you went through,” Dakath stated, with almost a clinical yet curious tone, while looking at his own goblet of blood.
Kolvar and I exchanged panicked looks before I looked back at the Empress to plead my case one final time. She beat me to it, though, raising her hand to stop me. “Child, you need not explain. I’ve already made my decision. You are to stay here in my land. If Malakai wants a war, he’ll get one.”
What?
For a moment, I was speechless, shocked into silence. I wasn’t sure what part of that to be more surprised about—the fact that I didn’t need to explain my need for blood or the fact that she was willing to start a war for me to stay here.
Kolvar let out a loud whoop of excitement as Dakath slid an arm around my shoulder and pressed a kiss to my temple, causing me to blush.
Elijah just sat there, darkened eyes pinned to my face. I was starting to think that the reason he didn’t like holding my gaze was because of how much emotion he revealed. There was so much building in the emerald orbs as I saw a flash of relief, heat, and concern all roll through at once in a dizzying effect.
