Chapter 11 #2
Lukas pinned him with a glare, and I feared for the man’s life until Lukas said, “Did she instruct you to give me that message?” He nearly rolled his eyes.
Kalix was entirely unaffected by the mood swing. “No, it is just what I overheard.”
“You know her games. I am certain she meant for you to relay the gossip.”
He shrugged a single shoulder and brought a crystal flute full of thick red liquid to his lips. He stared at me while he took two deep swallows. I couldn’t tear my eyes away if I wanted to.
The taste of blood would have to be different for those who survived on it.
From sucking on bleeding splinters and accidentally biting my own lips or the inside of my cheek a couple of times, I knew it didn’t taste like chocolate.
Consuming it for pleasure or out of necessity was such a foreign concept to me, that it made my stomach shrink while I watched him.
If I stayed here, it would be inevitable that my own blood would be drunk.
Lukas was still talking to Kalix, and I scanned the room, taking in the festivities.
The people who’d gathered to watch the spectacle of me and Kiam being introduced to the Queen had spilled out onto the marble floor.
Voices echoed under the glittering rafters, some in serious tones and others, joyful.
Furtive glances were sent my way as people milled about.
The Queen reigned from her throne, accepting what looked like gifts. Small packages and tiny satchels were piling up beside her seat and to my surprise, Kiam was beside her. He was perched on the edge of the second throne; the one I assumed belonged to Wyvon, the absent King I’d heard mentioned.
Eyeing Annalise, I wondered if she’d make good on her lunch invitation and what that would involve. I pictured myself sitting across from her at a small table with her drinking a wineglass full of blood, much like Kalix, as she fantasized about tearing my neck to shreds.
A shudder coursed down my spine just as something tapped my shoulder. I whirled around and came face to face with Katarina.
“Do you want to walk around?” She asked. “Don’t be so jumpy, they can smell fear.”
“Ha,” I scoffed. “Then they’ve been smelling me and drooling for a while.”
“C’mon,” she said, taking my hand. “You’ve been cooped up for the longest.”
Katarina tugged me lightly and I glanced over my shoulder at Lukas. He was deep in conversation, gesturing with one hand and pushing his hair back with the other. Kalix didn’t so much as twitch. Kiam appeared spellbound as the Queen leaned closer to him and ran her finger down his cheek.
I was on my own.
My pulse hammered through my veins, but I let Katarina drag me. “Where are we going?”
Colors whirred past me as she led me to the other end of the room. Vampires were moving faster than my eyes could detect, periodically blurring the scene. We stopped at a long table with an impressive spread of food, and I headed straight for the chairs lined up along the wall.
“I thought you were a goner for sure,” a girl with bright red hair hurried over to us.
Katarina lightly batted her arm. “Knock it off.”
“Honestly, I thought I was, too. This shit is terrifying.”
A server stopped by us with a tray full of wine. I grabbed one of the etched crystal glasses. It was edged with scrolling silver and looked almost too pretty to drink. “I love these cups,” I muttered. “So pretty.”
“Cassia, this is Nancy. Nancy, Cassia,” Katarina introduced me and the redhead. “I’m her maid,” she said to the new woman.
“I think I might’ve seen you in the hall before,” I remarked to Nancy.
Actually, I was positive I had. Her hair was pretty distinctive, couldn’t miss it. I just didn’t know how to let her know I’d ignored her on purpose in the past.
Nancy stared at me for a moment. “I’ve seen you.” Not knowing what to say or what else to do, I took a sip of the wine. “You never leave your room.”
“She belongs to Lukas,” Katarina said pointedly.
Nancy rolled her eyes. “No shit.”
“He didn’t really give me a choice in the matter,” I retorted.
The air around the three of us was tense, and I had no idea how to interpret it.
I could assume befriending workers, given Lukas’s obviously high position wasn’t typical, but I didn’t know how to go about shunning potential new allies or friendships.
Nancy grabbed a giant strawberry from a dish on the table. “I don’t see you complaining.”
“Well, I don’t think he even likes me very much so who knows if this will last.”
As it was, I barely saw him. Granted, I’d been rather difficult, but still. If he was planning on marrying me, wouldn’t he want to spend time with me? Did I even want him to?
Conflicting thoughts banged around my mind. I wasn’t into relationships where the two people were strangers or ignored each other—like my last relationship. But I also wasn’t into murder and kidnapping.
Katarina snort-laughed and quickly covered her mouth with her palm before she glanced around. No one was paying us any mind. “He’s staring at you right now,” she whisper-hissed. “He definitely likes you.”
Nancy nodded her head. “Yeah, I never see him with anybody. How the hell did you even snag him?”
The crowd parted and from my vantage point I glanced up and over the floor.
Sure enough, he was looking right at me.
Someone crossed my view, and when they passed, his eyes were still on me.
The way he stared, it made my breath catch inside my throat.
More people wandered by, but his gaze didn’t waver.
He had me set in his sights as if bodies weren’t blocking him, as if they were see-through.
I could have sworn I heard Nancy growl before she said, “You’re not even that pretty.”
The tone she used wasn’t mean, it was more of a curious bewilderment. I knew I was no supermodel, but I wasn’t ugly by any stretch of imagination. With a full face of makeup, I passed for quite attractive.
When I looked around at the people I was surrounded by, I could see why she questioned his choice. Everyone here, other than the slaves or maids, was exquisite. Male and female alike.
While they were elite designer worthy beauties, I was maybe a high-end clearance rack.
I shrugged in answer. Lukas had told me why he chose me, but it was none of their business.
“You have a zit on your chin,” Nancy informed me.
Absentmindedly, my fingers reached for the small blemish. I peered up at her and then across the floor again. He was still watching and his eyes flickered.
“Can’t win ‘em all, I guess.” I gave her a lighthearted smile.
I asked Katarina, “Can you bring me some zit cream one of these days? I’d rather ask you than Lukas.”
She narrowed her eyes at her friend before turning to me, “Of course.”
Then she said, “You don’t need to be such a bitch, Nancy.”
Nancy rolled her eyes and left.
“Don’t mind her,” Katarina kindly said. “The only reason you’ve seen her in your hall is because she’s been trying to get Lukas to feed from her for ages and he refuses.”
Unexpected jealousy washed through me. “Really?”
“Yeah. A lot of girls do. He hasn’t taken anybody in a while though and he’s never looked at her twice, no matter what she does.”
The things the woman may have done to try to pique his interest were things I didn’t want to think about. I licked my lips and took a deep breath. “What about... you?”
My heart slammed against my ribs. There was no reason for me to feel possessive like this, and I felt like an idiot for even asking. It was none of my concern. I’d be leaving the first chance I got.
Her eyes widened. “Oh, no. No not him.” She flushed. “I have, um, somebody.”
“Oh yeah? Who?” I leaned forward.
A shy smile graced her lips. “One of the Kakians. He’s really sweet. He’s gonna take me to another Realm someday.” A wistful look covered her face.
“How will you do that? Where will you go?” Without thinking, I glanced over my shoulder. Could Lukas possibly hear us? He was still watching.
“Oh, I don’t know. We don’t get vacation time or retirement here.” She laughed.
“I could put in a good word for you.”
Her hand waved in the air. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just lucky I work in the palace.”
A million questions rose up, pressing against my lips and begging to be asked, but I didn’t want to pump her for information and risk our budding friendship. “Well, I’m glad you’re here.”
“You know, I could take you into the city and you could get your own zit cream. Or even a spell so you don’t get any more pimples. Maybe before your lunch with Queen Annalise?”
I stilled. “How do you know about that?” I hadn’t mentioned it to a soul.
“Word travels fast. You do realize, you’re the first human ever to get invited to hang out with her, right?”