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Chapter 20
Bree
Normally,Bree got some leftover scraps that tasted of a horse’s ass around dinnertime. Things were different today. Ethne, one of the council members, came bustling in, telling Bree to get ready. Apparently, she was being allowed to join the feasting for once, though she couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy about the wholething.
It had only been a couple of days since she got shot with an arrow at the last feast. Why in the name of the forest would she go right back there so she could get shotagain?
“You will be wearing this,” Ethne said, holding up a silvery dress that was far more revealing than Bree was used to wearing. “This is my dress. A slave would never wearit.”
“Thank you,” Bree said, fingering the silky material. “Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate it, and I want nothing more than to get out of this room and eat a meal like a normal person, but...well, everyone knows I’m Taveon’s slave now. I’m still me, whether I wear this dress ornot.”
“Ah.” Ethne smiled. “Many of the Dark Fae have gifts. Mine just happens to be casting glamor. Unfortunately, I can only make someone look like myself, so you will be going as metonight.”
“What?” Bree gaped at thefae.
Ethne dropped her voice to a low whisper, casting a furtive glance at the door. “Lord Dagen told me what you are doing for him. I am happy to help you in your mission. Plus, it will give you a chance to have some realfood.”
“But...” Bree continued to clutch at the material. “What if someone tries to talk to me? Won’t they realize I’m notyou?”
Ethne gave her a tight smile. “Most likely not. These feasts are courtly affairs which means that females are not given a place of prominence. We keep quiet. The males do most of thetalking.”
“How...” Bree wrinkled her nose. “Archaic.”
“Yes, well.” Ethne loosed a breath and lifted her shoulders. “Welcome to the courtly ways of the Dark Fae. I know things are different from where you hail. I am quiteenvious.”
“Don’t be,” Bree said. “We’re your food,remember?”
“It is difficult to forget. Remember, not all of us agree with the Tithe.” Ethne frowned and searched Bree’s eyes. “You just have to understand. It has always been this way. Or rather, it has been this way as long as any of us can remember. It is just how our world works. It is impossible to imagine it being anydifferent.”
“Just because things have always been a certain way...well, it doesn’t make it right,” repliedBree.
“You are right. It does not. And King Midas’s family has ruled for generation after generation. Some say it is time they no longerdo.”
“And you’re one of them.” Bree raised an eyebrow. “Why? I thought Lord Dagen supported the King. I thought the reason he didn’t want the Prince to rule is because he’s too different from Midas. He doesn’t ‘have what it takes’ orwhatever.”
“That is a conversation you will have to have with Lord Dagen. His opinions are not mine to give.” She gave Bree a tight smile. “Now, go get changed so I can cast this glamor. You have a feast toattend.”
* * *
Bree feltstrange walking into the Great Hall like she belonged there. It had been only a few nights ago that she’d been forced to stand up in front of this crowd and humiliate herself. No, scratch that. She’d been forced tobe humiliated. By the Prince. The very one who was now staring at her from across the room. He sat at the head of the very long table that sat higher off the ground than the rest. A silver crown sat atop his head, one Bree noted he had not been wearing before now. The light color was accentuated against his dark hair and moonlitskin.
Her feet slowed as her eyes locked on his. Heart thumping hard, she pressed trembling fingers against the thin silky dress. Why was he staring at her? Could he tell something was different about her? Had he already noticed that she was not who she claimed to be? Or was it somethingelse?
Did he...was heinvolvedwithEthne?
Her cheeks flamed at the thought. Surely not...right? Of course, Ethne was incredibly beautiful. She had the kind of beauty that her friend Norah had. Those bright eyes, clear skin, and long flowing blonde hair. She was the kind of female to stand out from a crowd, drawing every male eye ontoher.
Something strange within her stirred. She hated the idea that the Prince would be attracted to the female she was pretending to be. But it made sense. He looked at Bree as if she were the scum of the earth. He was not drawn to females that looked like her, with dark hair and small pointy features. Bree looked like a mouse instead of agazelle.
The Prince half-stood from his chair and motioned for Bree to join him at his table. Shit. That wasn’t ideal. She just wanted to join the feast for some food, and Ethne hadn’t mentioned that she’d have to sit with the very male she most wanted to avoid thisnight.
But it made sense. In the end, Ethne wanted her to spy, just like Dagen did. She’d probably known Bree would have to sit at that table, listening in to conversations that could gain her insight into the Prince’splans...
Still, that didn’t make much sense. If Ethne could overhear information herself, then why didn’t she just come to the feast? Why had she sent Bree in herplace?
Bree couldn’t wrap her head around it, and she didn’t have too much time to dwell on her confusion because the Prince was frowning at where she stood frozen in the middle of theroom.
With a quick shake of her head, she pasted on a false smile and joined the Prince at his table. He motioned to the seat beside him and gave her a slight nod before turning to the male fae on his other side. She recognized each of them from their walks together. Conlan and Branok were their names. Dagen was nowhere in sight. There were a few others she remembered from the last feast she’d attended, but Rafe was not at the tableeither.
