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“If you don’t like it,” Carnon said, standing and moving closer to examine me critically. “Then wear something else.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it,” I said, pursing my lips at him in the reflection of the mirror. He raised a sardonic brow, awaiting my explanation. “It’s just…they’re going to know.”
“Know what?” Carnon asked, giving me a look that made it seem like he truly wanted to know.
I sighed. “That I am pretending at being a queen,” I said, turning to face him. We weren’t exactly on friendly grounds still. I’d been snipping at him all day and becoming increasingly annoyed by his overt flirtation and refusal to get angry in return. But we had come to some kind of temporary truce to get through the ball tonight. “They’re going to know that I’m not really your betrothed. That we are not in love. That this,” I added, gesturing to myself, “is a sham.”
“If you give me permission to touch you tonight, Elara,” Carnon purred, looking me up and down with something akin to hunger. “Iguaranteethat they’ll believe it.” He took a step closer, fisting his hands in his pockets as if to stop himself from reaching out. I swallowed, mouth a little dry at his intense regard. “I will gladly show you,” he continued, leaning closer so that his breath tickled my cheeks, “that you are every bit the queen you think you are only pretending to be.”
“Shame that you can’t touch me then,” I said, a bit more breathlessly and less acerbically than I had wanted to. He smirked, stepping back.
“A shame indeed,” he agreed. “Do let me know when you change your mind about that.”
I threw a rude gesture at the back of his head, and he turned to wink at me. “Ready?”
“To watch you mete out bloody justice and then pretend to be besotted with you while the most powerful demons in your court decide my fate?” I asked, raising both brows in mock surprise. “Why of course, my love.”
Carnon stiffened for a moment, something fierce flashing in his eyes before he relaxed into his carefree grin and held out an arm. “My love, is it? Well then, may I take your arm, my dearest darling?”
I wrinkled my nose at the false endearment and Carnon laughed, deep and throaty for the first time in a while. The familiar jolt of victory at making him laugh was quickly replaced by remorse for what we had lost between us. I cringed internally, reminding myself that this wasn’t real.
Carnon either didn’t notice or chose not to comment on my internal struggle, leading me down the now familiar hallways and passages from his rooms to the huge throne room at the heart of the palace.
The space was just as huge as it had been the day before, stained glass windows refracting the moonlight and moonstone walls glowing faintly. I looked up to see a vaulted ceiling painted with what appeared to be images of the Horned God and Triple Goddess. Moonstone pillars dotted the space, decorated in garlands of ivy and pink flowers and twinkling lights. Most of the guests seemed to be already assembled, milling about and chatting and sipping wine that was served by both demon and human servants in royal livery.
There were also both demons and humans in attendance, and the collection of beings, some horned and winged and others painfully mortal, was so odd to me I almost stopped in my tracks.
“Keep walking, Red,” Carnon said quietly, tugging my arm a little. “It’s rude to stare.”
“I suppose I didn’t really believe you,” I whispered back. “About the demons and the humans intermingling. Living together like...”
“Like equals?” he asked. I nodded, and he sighed, a little frustration bleeding through the mask of indifferent amusement he had adopted for court. “I told you, I tried not to lie wherever possible,” he replied.
I looked up to meet his green eyes, and my heart gave a little off-beat thud. He had worn all black, as usual, and he wore a golden crown with what looked like miniature gold horns around the band. I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to seeing him looking like a king, black horns gleaming above the crown and golden skin shining in the moonstone hall. He was frustratingly beautiful, and his growing smirk told me he knew it.
“Like I said,” he purred, giving my arm a little squeeze, “it’s rude to stare.”
“Pig,” I whispered.
He laughed loudly, and I flushed in embarrassment as several demons and humans turned to give me an appraising look. Most appeared curious, rather than hostile, and some even looked approvingly at me, the witch who made their king laugh. I tried to smile back reassuringly, biting my cheeks to prevent myself from hurling more insults at their king.
“Business, then pleasure,” Carnon said loudly, releasing my arm to draw two glasses of sparkling wine from a tray and handing me one. He clinked his glass with mine, raising a brow and smirking slightly as he guided me to the dais and took a seat on the dark throne, gesturing to me in a clear command to stand next to him. “Who faces the judgment of the Horned God?”
Herne stepped forward, looking grimly at Carnon, and at me. The Daemon Lords and Cerridwen stood a short distance from the dais. I had been so distracted by the room and the crowd that I hadn’t noticed them, and Cerridwen shot me a faint smile.
“A thief, my Lord, from Oneiros,” Herne said, waving a male demon forward flanked by guards. His head was bowed, and nothing about him looked demonic until he raised his head, baring his sharp fangs in a hiss at Herne.
“If he is Court of Blood, he falls under my jurisdiction,” Tyr said lazily, waving toward the male. Tyr stood next to Herne and Cerridwen, grinning as if he knew he was irritating the Demon King, and was enjoying it immensely. Brigid, a short distance away, looked like she might be sick, and Scathanna was nowhere to be seen.
“And if he committed a crime in the capital city, he is mine, Lord Tyr,” Carnon snapped. “What did he steal?”
“Blood from several unwilling victims,” Herne said, producing a scroll and approaching the dais to present it to Carnon. Carnon unrolled the parchment and I glanced over his shoulder. It looked to be some kind of legal affidavit.
“One of his victims died?” Carnon asked, looking back up at the accused demon.
Herne nodded sharply. “The family has already been compensated.”
Carnon sighed, rolling up the parchment and shooting me a rueful look before he stood and walked down the steps of the dais to approach the male. “You know the Justice of the Horned God,” Carnon said, addressing the accused male. “How do you plead?”
