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My hand dipped below the water and I was just beginning to explore myself when I heard a deep male voice say,
“Princess? I have your dinner.”
10
Lily
I jerked my hand away from my inner thighs guiltily and sat up quickly, making the warm water slosh against the sides of the tub.
“Princess?” Seldarin called again. “Did you fall asleep in the tub?”
Hardly. Still feeling guilty, I called back,
“Uh, no. I’m about finished. Let me just dry off.”
I opened the drain—which was a golden disk shaped like an elegant little frog—and rose to wrap myself in one of the thick, fluffy white towels piled on the edge of the tub.
I dried myself off but was reluctant to put back on my dirty clothes. Luckily, just then Krynn came back as well. I heard him and Seldarin talking together in low voices from the other side of the screen. Then he came closer and called to me,
“My Lady, I have a gown and robe for you to wear tonight. The seamstress is hard at work on some garments that will be suitable for you to wear when you attend Court tomorrow. They should be ready in the morning.”
Yeah right—as if I was actually going to show up in the Fae Court. I was already planning to wake up early and sneak quietly away before anyone was the wiser. But of course, I couldn’t tell that to the two Fae on the other side of the screen.
“Oh, er, thank you,” I called back as Krynn hung a diaphanous silky robe and gown over the wooden screen for me to get.
It felt strange putting on the clothing he had given me. The robe and gown looked like something you’d wear for a boudoir photo shoot—not casual lounging attire.
I don’t mean that they were extremely revealing—there were no plunging necklines or anything like that. It was more that the fabric they were made of was so delicate and silky they seemed too rich and expensive for everyday wear.
I put on the gown first—it had a V neck, spaghetti straps, and a slit up one side that went up to my mid-thigh. The silky fabric was a warm champagne color that almost seemed to glow. It clung to my body in a way that made me blush—you could certainly see every curve I owned as well as the sharp points of my nipples poking out against the thin material. I considered putting on my bra under it and rejected the idea. I simply couldn’t bring myself to put back on any of my dirty clothes—not even for the sake of modesty.
Luckily, the matching robe—which was trimmed in golden lace that was surprisingly soft—covered the gown completely. It tied with a long silky sash that had golden tassels at each end.
There was even a pair of soft little slippers that looked a bit like ballet shoes to go with the outfit. I slipped them on gratefully, glad that I could keep my feet warm on the chilly marble floors.
My hair was still damp around my shoulders but I finger-combed it, doing my best to look presentable, before stepping out from behind the carved wooden screen.
I found that the guys had been busy while I was getting dressed. The white wood table I had noticed earlier was set for one and there was a large silver platter covered with a round golden dome in the middle of it.
Beside the platter was a tall, fluted carafe made of silver and covered in raised golden roses and flowers with golden hummingbirds sipping nectar from them. There was a cut crystal goblet as well—which was the only word that fit the drinking vessel sitting beside the carafe.
“There you are—I was beginning to think the food would get cold,” Seldarin growled. He swept the golden dome off the silver platter and an amazing smell filled the cavern.
“Oh my God,” I whispered unsteadily. While I was washing my hair and soaking, I had almost been able to forget my hunger pangs. But now my appetite came roaring back and I was suddenly starving again.
“We hope you will enjoy your evening repast, my Lady,” Krynn said courteously, leading me to the carved wooden chair placed at the table.
I don’t know what I said to him—I think I might have just nodded. I was too eager to eat to make small talk. I sat down at the table, looking at all the delicious food with wide eyes and feeling like Beauty on her first night in the Beast’s castle.
There was some kind of roasted bird—I don’t think it was chicken or turkey—maybe something in between. But the skin was a perfectly crisp golden brown and it smelled amazing. There was also some kind of creamy whipped white stuff that was too light and airy to be mashed potatoes and delicious gravy to pour over it.
Other bowls contained fruit—most notably more of the glowing berries I’d eaten in the clearing. I popped several into my mouth, enjoying the way they burst on my tongue and released their sweet juices. There were other fruits and vegetables too—as well as some gorgeous flowers that Krynn assured me were edible. I tried one and found that it melted on my tongue like candied rose petals, leaving a delightfully delicate aftertaste.
But mainly I wanted the roasted bird that wasn’t quite chicken or turkey and the airy, creamy almost-mashed potatoes and thick, silky gravy.
As I began to eat—using the golden cutlery beside the silver platter—Krynn and Seldarin took seats on the other side of the little square table.
Normally, I would have been self-conscious about eating in front of two such gorgeous men, but I was too hungry to let my insecurities get in the way. I savored every bite and it was only after I had taken the edge off my hunger that the two of them began to talk.
