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“Alright, Roisin, I’ll accept your services. Should we, uh, get dressed?”
Despite appearing a bit ruffled, she nodded. “Well, my lady? Shall you attend breakfast with his majesty?”
“I suppose if you’re going to dress me in something that gorgeous, I better have somewhere to go.”
A grin broke out on Roisin’s face and she lifted the gown with such a flourish it was clear all was forgiven.
The ink blue gown pulled against my legs, the train gliding along the white marble floor as Keelin escorted me through the empty halls to breakfast. He was tall, with brown hair tied back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. The thinness of his face was offset by the firm set to his jaw and shoulders. He marched next to me in his leather armor, not looking the least bit tired, despite guarding my room all night long.
“So,” I said, “are you Dagda’s man-in-waiting?”
He didn’t so much as glance at me. “I serve as his faerie knight.”
“Did you know Mina… I mean Jazrael?” I asked, recalling Mina’s faerie name.
“She is my sister.”
I tripped over my skirts. He caught my arm to keep me from going down. When I steadied, he released me, the disc on my bicep scraping against the fabric of the long sleeves. I tugged on the cloth to hide it the best I could. Not that it mattered to Keelin. I rearranged my gown and checked my hair that Roisin had put up in an elegant twist.
I cleared my throat as we continued walking. “Your sister, wow. Do you miss her?”
His dark gray eyes narrowed. “She forsook her duty when she did not accompany you to the Otherworld.”
The spacious windows filling the grand hallway overlooked a large garden courtyard. On the other side of the hall, beautiful paintings of magical depictions hung in a line. Our steps echoed in the emptiness and I ignored the desire to run a hand over the mixture of marble and wood lining each wall, trying to not marvel at how it wove so flawlessly together. I wouldnotlet the wonder of the place draw me in.
“She didn’t really have the chance to come,” I said. Most likely when Dagda dropped the Rowan smoke, she had been knocked out, too.
“The king is not happy with her. Her choices have led to dishonor on our station, our family. My aunts and uncles—”
“She saved the Otherworld from destruction and protected me from death.” I huffed. “Besides, I asked if you missed her.”
He fell silent, then said, “She has fallen since I last saw her. She would not even remember me. All things considered, it is best that she stayed in the human realm.”
He stopped in front of a set of doors. He bowed. “Your breakfast awaits, your majesty.” He pulled on the handle and the doors clicked open. I took a slow breath and entered.
The spacious hall filled with light that filtered in from the windows along one side of the room. Gilded overlays adorned the marble and wooden walls. Matching crafted gold goblets rested in each spot on a long, elegantly carved table that rested in the center, that could accommodate at least twenty people.
It was empty.
I turned back to Keelin. “Nobody’s here.”
“He shall come soon, my lady. Perhaps take a seat?” He disappeared as the door shut.
I walked over to the table, brushing my hands up and down my gown. Hell. Why was I nervous? If I didn’t want to be there, I could leave. Maybe I should. After summoning me, he couldn’t even arrive on time? But the thought of remaining in my room all day with the memories of everything that Dagda revealed last night playing through my head terrified me. I considered sitting on the very end, as far away from Dagda as possible, but then I’d have to shout through the entire meal and any other seat in between just felt awkward. So I slid into the spot to the right of the end, assuming he’d take the chair at the table’s front.
A lush carpet rested under the length of the table. As soon as I sat down, its softness even permeated through my heeled shoes and I dragged my feet through its plushness. How did faeries make everything feel so damn amazing?
A smaller door at the rear of the room opened and Dagda stepped through it, carrying two heaping plates of food.A blue tunic with a crest woven into the fabric spanned over his broad chest and a belt latched at his waist, offset by dark breeches and boots that rose up to his knees. Leather braces covered his lower forearms and a red fur-lined cape came off one shoulder. I blinked, surprised at his attire at the same time that something strong smoldered in my stomach.
He looked like a king.
When he took me in, an unbridled surprise slashed through me. The plate of food in his right hand toppled to the floor. He stood there, breathing hard.
He stepped forward and set the remaining plate down at the head of the table. “Sit here.” Then spun on his heel and began cleaning up the meal scattered across the floor.
I pressed my teeth together at his unnecessary abruptness, raising my chin. “Is there something wrong with this spot?”
He didn’t gaze at me as he continued to clean up the mess from his tantrum. “That was Niamh’s seat,” he said, harsh and quiet.
