Chapter 27 An Exquisite Meal
An Exquisite Meal
Dinner was laid out on a massive table, rich with meats, fruits, and fine wine I now knew better than to touch. It looked like a feast fit for royalty, but the only thing I could focus on was the unease gnawing at the back of my mind.
The long table was set with gleaming silver and crystal goblets, the delicate clink of silverware the only sound as we took our seats.
King Adonis sat at the head of the table, his presence as dazzling as the gold-trimmed walls of the room.
Beside him, an elegant young woman sat silently, with flowing auburn hair and piercing green eyes.
She wore a dress of the finest silk, adorned with jewels that shimmered under the light like stars.
It wasn’t until she shifted slightly that I caught a glimmer of something familiar in her gaze, but what it was, I couldn’t quite place.
Tarran and I sat across from each other, our eyes occasionally meeting, but there was an uncomfortable undercurrent between us, and I knew we both had our kiss lingering in our minds.
Every time I looked at her, my pulse quickened.
The tension was palpable, suffocating even, but neither of us knew how to break it, especially not with the King watching us so carefully.
The Carls sat beside us, Carl-One more subdued than usual but still chatting with the attendants about the food. Carl-Two, on the other hand, barely touched his plate, his eyes darting around the room like he was waiting for something to go wrong.
King Adonis’ voice broke through the silence, smooth as silk. “Please, enjoy the meal. We are so fortunate to have such…exquisite company this evening.”
His smile never faltered, his gaze flickering briefly to Tarran and me.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, the weight of his eyes making it harder to eat.
Something about him unsettled me, but I couldn’t put my finger on what.
His perfection was almost too much, like he was crafted.
And in a way, I guess he was. They all were.
“Tell me, Tarran,” he said, turning his attention toward her.
I frowned at him. Normally, the kings put their attention on me, but for some reason, this one addressed her directly instead.
An ugly green monster stirred to life in my chest. “How has your journey been? The Kingdom of Radiance is known for its unique splendor. I do hope you are finding it to your liking?”
Tarran’s eyes flicked to mine before she answered, her tone polite and even. “It’s certainly unlike anything we’ve seen so far,” she said carefully. She gave me an unreadable glance. “But the people are kind. They speak very highly of you.”
“Kindness is in the air here, isn’t it?” King Adonis said, almost too smoothly. “We’ve worked hard to cultivate it. A place you can rest, a place you can find peace.” He glanced at me then, finally, his eyes lingering a little too long. “I trust you are finding it peaceful as well, Liss?”
I felt a strange pressure in my chest, the way he was looking at me.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, my voice betraying my unease.
“But we aren’t here for peace. We came to learn about this trial so I can get it over with and be one step closer to going home.
My home,” I added, not sure why I felt the need to clarify.
Adonis’s smile remained, but there was something sharp behind it.
“Ah, the trial.” His tone softened, becoming almost soothing.
“Patience, Liss. All will be revealed in time. The trial is not to be rushed, so please, trust in the process.” He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a low hum.
“But I can tell you this: the trial will test your heart, your soul. It is more than a mere competition.”
I raised an eyebrow, but before I could respond, Carl-One piped up enthusiastically. “A test of the heart? Ooh, sounds romantic!” He winked at Carl-Two, who rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything.
I shot them both a glance, silently urging them to keep their mouths shut. But King Adonis only chuckled, the sound smooth as velvet, and I couldn’t shake the feeling he was enjoying every minute of this.
“You know, Carl,” the King said, turning toward him with a sly smile, “I do believe you’ve understood the essence of the trial, though you may not realize it yet.
” He raised his goblet, and the attendants quickly filled it with crimson wine.
“It is, after all, about connection. About understanding who we truly are, and how we share that with others.”
The King’s gaze flickered between me and Tarran once more, and the air grew heavier, thicker with something I couldn’t quite identify.
He seemed to be studying us, his sharp eyes flicking from one to the other, and I suddenly felt explosed, as if he was seeing right through the carefully constructed walls we’d both built.
The woman beside him—his escort? His queen?
—glanced at us quietly, but there was something about her that caught my attention.
She didn’t speak a word, but something in her gaze was sharp, calculating, like she was analyzing us.
But as quickly as I noticed it, the look was gone, replaced with a cool, composed mask.
I looked at Tarran, catching her eye for a brief second before she quickly looked away, her cheeks flushed in the dim candlelight. The tension between us had been thickening since we’d kissed…again…and I could feel the pull growing stronger.
The further we got, the more time we spent together, the less I wanted to avoid it. I’d had to remind myself more and more that she wasn’t real, and once I got that final key, that was it. She’d cease to exist for me, and I’d go back home to my life.
There was no future here.
King Adonis, clearly enjoying the unspoken energy in the room, leaned back in his chair, his voice smooth and soothing once again. “Perhaps we can continue this conversation after dinner. Relax, eat. I’m sure there are many more things you wish to discuss.”
I had the distinct feeling he wasn’t talking about the trial anymore.
The food was exquisite, but I barely touched it, my mind racing. Every word the King spoke seemed to have a double meaning, and every time I locked eyes with Tarran, tension crackled. And all the while, the King watched us, carefully calculating, his perfect smile never slipping.
When the meal was finally over, the King stood, fluid and graceful in his movements. “I trust you’re enjoying your time here,” he said, his eyes lingering on us once more. “And remember, the trial will come soon enough. You’ll have the answers you seek when the time is right.”
He turned to his escort, exchanging a brief, silent stare with her before she subtly nodded. She stepped forward, hand in his, and together, they made their regal exit.
We were escorted out of the dining hall and back to our rooms, the heavy silence of the night pressing in on us.
I could feel Tarran’s presence beside me, but I didn’t know what to say, what to do.
The earlier kiss and charged dinner had shifted something between us, something we couldn’t put into words yet.
Or maybe we just didn’t want to.
But the King’s words lingered, and so did his unspoken promise in the air.
Whatever the trial, I had the sinking feeling it would test much more than intended.