Chapter 37
The feast was a drawn-out affair. Servers carried in course after course, each more lavish than the last, but, as anticipated, none of the food was served to us.
Forcing myself not to dwell on the scents of aromatic spices and dishes, I nursed my water with feigned disinterest, and I only wanted to cry once—when the dessert arrived, drenching the whole ballroom in a heavy cloud of chocolate.
My mouth watered, but obviously, fancy fae food would be wasted on the human scum.
Two hours later, the servers finally cleared the remnants of the dinner from the tables.
Not ours, though, and the plate formerly holding the bread and cheese that Ireas, Thain, and I had shared stayed put.
But my attention was soon dragged away as Dion led a preening Danartha to the floor for the first dance.
My chest burned with an intensity that had me doubling over, and I was about to divert my eyes when his gaze crossed mine. Something flared in his expression, and I hurried to school mine into as much neutrality as I could muster, giving him a tight little smile.
Dion was on edge. I could tell as much, and I did my best to de-escalate him from afar despite my displeasure about the whole situation.
He needed to read in my face that, although I hated how both of us were treated—and how inadequate I was compared to the gorgeous fae female next to him—I understood what role he had to play.
If he sensed the truth about how miserable I was, he might lose the pitiful restraint he owned, and then everything up until now would have been in vain. Steeling my features, none of the intrusive demons drilling into my mind showed.
Gods, why did seeing him dancing with Danartha hurt so badly?
There was a lot wrong with me minding their merriment, and I neither wanted that nor had any right to feel so strongly about the female fae.
Yes, she was so much more beautiful than I, had sent beauty products to Dion’s chamber, and, not that it mattered at all, had spent several intimate encounters with him.
My throat bobbed as I observed the two of them remaining on the floor for the second and third dances, and I liked Danartha less and less.
When the princeling still kept the female in his arms when the fourth dance began, I dragged my gaze away and rubbed my chest. My sour mood declined rapidly.
“Carthain, what are you doing here at this dreary table?”
Spinning my head to the newcomer’s voice, I straightened my spine and, with all the determination I could muster, slipped my mask back on.
The male wore cream-colored finery in a style not unlike Thain’s, and he was hugging the redhead with great familiarity.
If he were human, I’d guess he was in his third decade of life. His face held a certain softness, and his snow-white hair flowed down to his shoulders. His citrine eyes stayed firmly locked on Thain, ignoring both Ireas, who huffed as he crossed his arms, and me.
“Cantarlann, what a surprise to meet you here. Gods, it’s been too long. You should have let me know that you planned to attend the winter solstice ball. What made you leave the Cuirt? Is everything alright? You never abandon the island. And Alaiann, of all places? What happened?”
As usual, when he got excited, Thain’s mouth rapid-fired words three times faster, but the male fae he’d called Cantarlann just expressed his amusement. Laughter, deep and melodic, fell from his shapely lips as he hugged Thain once more.
“Good to see you too, young friend. I’ve thought a lot about you, hoping you’d soon change your mind and return to the flock. We all miss you.”
A flicker of unexpected sadness ran over Thain’s features, but his mirth won fast.
“As for why I’m in Alaiann, this is the first time I’ve been invited to the High Court since the High King ascended to power. And even though I normally don’t mingle much with outsiders, I was curious. And of course, I couldn’t let the chance pass to meet you again, old friend.”
Thain and the newcomer laughed, and I switched between watching their interaction and checking for Dion, who was still spinning Danartha over the dance floor. How long had it been since the first dance? Half an hour?
A barbed ball pricked at my insides, and anger infused my blood. That female was staking a claim as if she had any right to declare him as hers, and my fists clenched and unclenched.
“And who is this absolutely stunning female? Sweetling, whose attention at the High King’s court did you snatch?”
My head snapped around to Cantarlann as I realized he’d addressed me.
Digging deep for my manners, although none of those shitfaced racist fae deserved my politeness, I rose to my feet and dropped into a curtsy.
“Nayana Garnet Ortha. It’s an honor to meet you.
I’m here on the invitation of His Royal Highness, with the permission of His Royal Majesty. ”
A grin spread over Thain’s lips, and as I glanced at him, I couldn’t help smiling as well. After all, Ireas, still with a sour face, had thrown his arm around the redhead, who absent-mindedly dug his hand into the medic’s locks in return.
Before I could dwell on how cute those two were, Thain’s voice rang out again. “She’s not lying.”
Forehead marred with confusion, Cantarlann scratched his temple, then, as if he’d had an epiphany, beamed, and his smile radiated beauty.
“Oh, if this doesn’t mean you’re the Amplifier, I’ll be damned.
Gods, precious, that’s so Galrach to hide you here.
If you ask me, sweet thing, he’s an idiot for not offering you a seat of honor. ”
“You’re correct about who I am, my lord. But to be honest, I’m not surprised. Within my first few hours at court, I understood that humans aren’t held in high regard in Galanta.”
“Ah, don’t look at His Royal Majesty’s loyal entourage and conclude that the courtiers represent the rest of the world. Yes, the gentry consists mostly of snobs; the peerage and nobility are even worse, with some rare exceptions, but there’s much more to us fae than narrow-mindedness.”
“I’m forced to believe you, or else I would also be a bigot, like most others present.”
Ireas coughed as he choked on his water at my comment, but Cantarlann only laughed.
“Well-spoken, Miss Ortha. You’re an intelligent woman, it seems. What do you say?
Can I attempt to prove my sincerity while we share a dance?
Human or not, no lady as exquisite as you should be left in a dusty corner at a ball or elsewhere.
His Royal Highness is a fool to allow that you, who should be his most magnificent treasure, are put aside like an afterthought. ”
After a brief moment of hesitation, and after swallowing the impulse to defend Dion, I flickered my eyes to the dance floor, only to find the prince still swaying merrily to the music with Danartha.
Something clawed inside my chest, and so I nodded, placing my hand in Cantarlann’s. This was a ball, godsdammit, and yes, maybe the tales I’d read were just fantastical stories, but I was done sitting around in the forgotten corner instead of having fun.
“I’d like to join you, but please keep in mind, I’m not accustomed to the dances of the fae.”
My steps were uncertain as I followed Cantarlann, who led me into the middle of the floor, pulled me into a dancing stance, and smiled. This was not the right time to confess that I wasn’t well-versed in formal human dances either.
“Don’t worry, gorgeous. Simply let yourself be guided by my movements and listen to the rhythm of the music. I’ll do the rest.”
A new song started to play, as ethereal-sounding as fae were beautiful. The piece was a hopeful tune, as if its composer wanted to capture the joy of new beginnings in a melody.
“Cantarlann, have I understood correctly that you aren’t a regular at court?”
“Not at this one, darling, but at another, the Cuirt an Ghra. Or, in your language, the Court of Love.”
“That definitely sounds like the place where I’d imagine you could have met Thain.”
Cantarlann’s smile rivaled the sun in brightness as he answered my amused chuckle. “Carthain grew up in our community, yes. My father led the Cuirt before me, and our mutual friend left for the army soon after my predecessor had retired and handed me his responsibilities.”
“Seems to me as if you have every right to belong here at court.” Suppressing a squeak as he spun me around in a twirl, bright laughter escaped me. Gods, this was fun. For the first time tonight, or maybe since I’d entered Galanta, I enjoyed myself.
“Please, love, don’t compare me to those stuck-up males and females brown-nosing to the king.
You’ll wound me if you do.” In an overexaggerated gesture, the male clutched his heart and feigned an injury.
A giggle spilled from my lips, earning me a fond smile in return.
“You should come visit the Cuirt an Ghra and witness for yourself that not every place in Galanta is like the royal High Court.”
“Oh, I’ll consider your offer.” Maybe it was the dance, perhaps it was Cantarlann’s mirth, or the modicum of friendliness in a crowd of hostile people, but whatever the reason, I couldn’t contain myself and winked at him.
Or, more likely, my flirtatious behavior had nothing to do with the foreign noble but everything with the dark prince, who appeared right next to us like a storm cloud ready to unleash mighty forces of nature and who snarled at the other male as he hauled me out of Cantarlann’s arms into his own.