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Until someone nudged me from behind—Ms. Begalia, of course.
Holding my hands in front of me, clasped together, I stepped into the hall.
My heart hammered at the room full of women too beautifully dressed and adorned with glittering jewelry and the men who whispered beside them. At the far end of the room, Lord Demious sat at the table, a grin on his face as he sipped from a golden goblet.
Each of the girls had taken a seat, leaving the last one on the end for me.
I refused to make eye contact with anyone, and my heart dropped a bit when I didn’t see a certain fae. Shouldn’t he be with Lord Demious? Baine was the head of Lord Demious’ guard. Why wouldn’t he be here? Tonight would’ve been the perfect opportunity to get to know the magistrate’s trusted man a bit better.
Once I sat, the quartet in the corner began playing and chatter filled the room. The girl next to me ignored me, speaking only to the girl on her right.
Thankfully, the table had wine.
A servant filled my goblet, and I guzzled the sweet and slightly dry liquid. It warmed my belly.
I can’t remember the last time I had such a delicious drink.
Red and yellow chrysanthemum decorated the lavish table, which held a variety of honey fruits, cheese wheels, and salted pieces of meat that made my stomach roar with hunger. I grabbed a leg of quail and bit into the juicy meat.
If marrying Lord Demious meant eating this rich every night, well, I just might be persuaded. On the farm, we had simple treats, salted jerky, fresh apples, butter mixed with honey, and too much salt, but none of it compared to the feast in front of me.
The sisters hovered near Demious, who smiled and whispered to them.
Chewing, I wondered why the rumors of him spun such tall tales. He seemed the opposite of dark and dangerous. Eccentric, maybe, mysterious? Not so much.
Unless it’s all a ruse.
Regardless of rumors and village gossip, there was no one as magically gifted in Farrow’s Gate as Lord Demious. He alone kept the wild magic at bay.
I grabbed another leg of quail, after noticing the girl beside me had barely touched any of the food surrounding her and devoured the succulent meat. These other women could be dainty, but not me. My magic tended to give me a ravenous appetite.
“Another glass, my lady?” The male servant from before brought the pitcher of wine over.
He had a kind, young face, with short blond curls a girl would die for. I held up the goblet. “Always, another, in fact, come back soon.”
He smiled and I winked at him.
“I will make sure my lady has all the wine she requires.” His bright smile faded as he looked up and past me. “Sorry, I’ll return when you need me.”
He scurried off and I followed his line of sight.
Baine.
If those eyes of his could speak, they’d probably be lecturing me on proper etiquette. I met his hard stare, raised my goblet, and in three sips drank it all.
I slammed the goblet on the table and wiped my lips with the back of my hand.
Baine frowned, clearly not impressed with my drinking ability.
The tempo of music increased, and nobles filled the center of the dance floor, lining up. I loved to dance, but not with this ridiculous tail on my butt. I twisted and undid the safety pin and shoved the furry object under my seat.
With an excited grin, I stood and glanced around. None of the other girls tried to get up. Were we not allowed?
I bounced on the heels of my feet as the beat began to drum in my soul. Though my flame hid in darkness, the spark still lived, desperate to ignite the night.
Lord Demious’ gaze found mine. He nodded at me, smiling.
Thank you,I mouthed and quickly found a spot in the line.
