Chapter 34
Never, in all of our people’s history had a human stepped foot on Arcadian soil, much less participated in a Revel. No one knew what to expect from this human standing beside me.
Eden chewed the tender piece of meat like she feared she’d be sick. The people around us cheered and hollered, all filing in line to receive their own meal.
Caroline stepped up to our platter with a smile. She picked a couple pieces, meeting my gaze. She arched an eyebrow.
I glanced at Markus, who watched us from the sea of purple in which he stood. Turning back to Caroline, I nodded.
She moved towards Markus, and the crowd hushed.
Two historic things in one day.
“What’s going on?” Eden muttered. She stepped behind me now, trying to find a better view of Caroline.
“It’s a sort of betrothal between herself and Markus.”
“She’s proposing?” I could hear the surprise in Eden’s voice, and a smile crept to my face.
“He does have the chance to decline later, but in good custom, he’ll take the offer now. And we’ll have a family gathering tonight.”
With grace like our mother, she held out a piece of meat to Markus. His ears flushed pink when he accepted, but he beamed. She whispered something to him, and he rolled his eyes.
The people around us erupted again in cheers, followed by howling and hollering. I joined in, glancing down at Eden. Her eyes sparkled.
Everyone quieted after a moment and returned to the Revel. Caroline stayed standing close to Markus.
I leaned down, my lips close to Eden’s ear. “Just you wait. Our ceremony will be much more wild than this.”
Her cheeks flushed pink when her eyes cut to mine.
“And we’re making a substantial amount of Kulas.” Nash leaned his head between us.
I put my palm over his face, pushing him back with an eye roll.
“Kulas?” Eden asked. “Isn’t that gold? You can make gold?”
Chuckling, I shook my head. “It’s a drink. It only seems golden. But good job with the translation. Keep it up, and you’ll speak Ancient better than Nash.”
“Oh, whatever. I always communicated better than you.” Nash bumped my shoulder when I took another piece of meat.
To my delight, Eden picked another piece up.
“Admit it,” I mumbled through my mouthful of food. “You like living with wolves.”
She smiled, swallowing. “I never said otherwise. I’d rather live with wolves than run from them.”
We settled into a peaceful quiet while the crowd mingled and ate. The heads of the kitchen ate near us, discussing plans for the Joulo feast in three months’ time.
I had expected fear to overcome me at the thought of the feast—one I might miss if I didn’t make it through the coming darkness. Instead, indifference greeted me. What a gift to not feel anything at their words, no stab of pain at the thought of missing my father. Call it peace or acceptance or sheer stupidity, but I felt grateful that anxiety and fear hadn’t conquered my body.
“Nash, are you not hungry?”
I snapped my head to Eden who had noticed Nash not eating.
Status was the current of our culture. We had to have some sort of order, otherwise we’d accomplish nothing and people would lose their way in the undertow of confusion. But Eden didn’t feel its constant ebb and flow, the fluidity behind it. Sure, Nash had been born a prince, but he’d chosen to be the outcast when he left. He wasn’t present, and he dealt with the consequences.
Nash cleared his throat, but he didn’t act embarrassed. “I have to eat last now.”
“Last?” Eden turned to me, and then her eyes roved over the crowd.
Pups were scarfing down what food they could eat, youngest first. They needed to bulk up before the winter. Then the elders, including Elder Macon and the Branches—the heads of each guild. Then mothers and fathers, along with all of the Guardians. And so on.
And then Nash.
Before my coronation, I thought it would be fun to gloat when he returned, shoving it in his face that I’d been better. That I could best him. The Branches had told my father they thought I would make the best leader out of my siblings.
Whether they were right or not, I wasn’t sure.
But Nash returned and was accepted without discussion or even thought.
The new Omega.
While people collected all that they wanted, Caroline and I included, Nash stepped to our platter and picked up two pieces, glancing at me.
I nodded, and he picked up two more.
“And you’re okay with this?” Eden muttered.
I took a breath to answer her, but Nash started first. “Eden, it’s all right. I did this to myself. I left, I made poor choices, and I have to live with that. That’s life here.”
She seemed broken, the sparkle of intrigue gone now.
Nash bumped her shoulder with his elbow. “But hey, it means I get the short stick to make the Kulas for Joulo, so I’ll be sure it’s extra strong for you.”
With a wink, he sauntered off and plopped down against a tree away from the rest of the people.
Eden watched him for a moment before shaking her head. “This isn’t right.”
I put an arm around her shoulders. “He decided to leave. But he can earn his place again. It takes time.”
She leaned her head against my shoulder. “I still have so much to learn.”
I smiled as she sighed against me. “So much, pilukos. So much more to learn.”