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I caught her hand. "You are beautiful."
"So you keep saying." Her smile was warming up, turning more into the smile I loved seeing on her.
Whatever colors I chosefrom the gorgeous palette, in my mind they only emphasized my grayish skin, but after Garth's words and his unwavering attempts to make me feel beautiful, I decided rather than to wallow in misery over what had been done to me, to embrace my silver-grayish color and to find ways to make it look not as cold.
"Are you ready?" Garth asked a little bit later.
I rose from the chair by the vanity in the bathroom and nodded, avoiding looking into the mirror.
"Gods, you are a vision to behold," Garth said, positioning himself behind me and turning me so I saw both of us reflected in the mirror.
The reddress he had helped me choose clung to my body in just the right places, lifted my cleavage and played around my hips, where the soft, gauzy material flowed freely down to my ankles. Golden chains held the material together where it split, exposing the swell of my breasts.
And for a moment I believed him. Believed I was beautiful and even saw past my altered skin. What else I saw though truly took my breath away.
His naked torso was accentuated by a black cape hugging his wide shoulders. The light reflected off his metallic, reddish skin, highlighted by his pronounced veins that ran over the surface of his flesh instead of underneath. His black hair with its neon, dark, reddish highlights was tamed by a leather strip at the nape of his neck.
He was magnificent. The picture of a warlord from old, long-forgotten times on Earth. And I wondered if my strange new skin color was as alluring to him as his to me.
His skintight, black leather pants did next to nothing to hide his bulging muscles and the thought that he was mine—that he had chosen me—hit me like an electric jolt, pushing all insecurities behind a door I determinedly shut.
"I'm ready."
"Good." He leaned over and, in the mirror, I watched him kiss me. Watched this god-like man kissme. As hislips touched mine, my knees weakened and he chuckled, self-satisfied.
He bent his arm and held his elbow out for me to place my hand on. "You're beautiful," he said again into my ear and I shuddered in pleasure.
The cloud I seemed to be walking on lasted until we reached a large set of open doors, behind which I heard so many voices it sounded like the buzzing of a beehive.
"I will be the most envied male tonight," Garth said proudly, dispelling my misgivings as we strode into the large hall.
Hundreds of tables were filled with what had to be at least a thousand guests. Three walls were lined with tables arranged in an upturned U. At the head, on a raised dais, sat Daryus. Several chairs to his right were empty, to his left I recognized Xandros and Ashley.
The middle of the U was filled with round tables.
Garth directed me toward the right side, picking two empty chairs next to the emperor, but leaving the one right next to him unoccupied, and I wondered if that seat was reserved for his empress. Did he have one?
Garth pulled my chair out and muttering my thanks, I slid in before he sat down next to me.
The buzzing had never ceased or changed, and I acknowledged that Garth had been right, nobody had taken notice of usentering. But I stiffened when I saw King Crough and Sir Priough taking seats a bit father down. I clenched my jaw and told myself that protocol probably demanded this. Crough, as hateful as he was, was a king after all and I supposed a guest. Still, it didn't make me feel any better.
"I don't think Daryus will be able to choke any food down tonight," Garth remarked with a deep chuckle.
"I'm not sure I can either," I admitted, seeing the vile creatures not only here, but honored.
"Then comfort yourself with the thought that both Crough and Priough are already dead, they just don't know it yet," Garth whispered.
As vengeful as his words were, they did make me feel strangely better and I took a sip from my already filled cup.
The liquid burned down my throat and surprised I looked at Garth.
"Alcoholic beverages as much as they're shunned at our protectorates are accepted at court," he explained with a smirk of derision. "The other glass is filled with vepo if you prefer."
I changed glasses and enjoyed the enhanced water much more than whatever burning alcohol had been in the other.
I sensed eyes on me and when I looked up, I stared straight into Ashley's eyes. Her expression was unreadable, as if she was evaluating me, and I turned away. She had no right to judge or evaluate me. None. I lifted my chin and ignored her for the rest of the evening.
One course of food followed another, brought in by the same small orange-skinned servants I had seen on Garth's ship. Here they wore white uniforms as they refilled glasses and dished out food from overladen trays.
