Chapter 5
The king guided Penny toward his throne.
Her heart hammered against her ribs.
The ribbon.
The silence. The hungry stares.
Whatever game had just begun, she was certain she had lost.
The king sat upon the black velvet throne and, without hesitation, lifted her into his lap.
A murmur rippled through the ballroom.
Penny barely heard it.
Her pulse roared too loudly in her ears.
Kissing had been one thing.
Being displayed had been another.
But she was surrounded by vampires.
Hungry vampires.
Was this where it happened?
Was this where the king finally fed?
Was this her punishment for turning her face away?
Penny twisted immediately, trying to escape his hold.
The king tightened his arms automatically to keep her from falling.
The movement only made her panic more.
She pushed against his chest.
Against his shoulders.
Against anything she could reach.
When his face lowered toward hers, she turned away sharply and shoved both hands against him.
Trying desperately to keep the fangs away from her throat.
The ballroom had gone silent again.
Even the musicians seemed to stop.
The king froze.
Penny continued struggling.
Small, frantic movements.
More fear than force.
Like a rabbit kicking in a snare.
The king simply watched her.
Confusion was slowly replacing whatever happiness had been there moments before.
She twisted again.
Tried to slide from his lap.
Nearly tangled herself in the crimson ribbons.
The king caught her automatically before she could fall.
Then, finally seemed to understand something.
Very carefully, he lifted her.
Set her on her feet between his knees.
And let go.
Penny stumbled backward a step.
Breathing hard.
The king leaned back against the black velvet throne.
For a long moment, he simply stared at her.
As though he had spent the entire evening speaking one language...
And had only just realized she was hearing another.
The great doors opened.
A line of human flowers entered the ballroom.
The same white gowns.
The same attendants guiding them forward.
Penny recognized several from the garden.
One laughing.
One smiling shyly.
One already waving excitedly toward someone waiting in the crowd.
The ballroom erupted.
The vampires who had spent the evening staring at Penny suddenly scattered like a disturbed hive.
Not toward food.
Toward favorites.
A sharp-faced noble reached a dark-haired girl first.
A beautiful vampire woman in purple arrived a heartbeat later.
Both immediately began speaking to the same flower.
The girl laughed.
Touched both their hands.
Clearly enjoying the attention.
Across the room, another flower squealed as a vampire lifted her completely off her feet and spun her in a circle before kissing her soundly in front of half the court.
The flower kissed him back.
A male flower spotted a dark-haired vampire and immediately crossed the ballroom to him.
His face lit up.
He lifted the vampire's hand and pressed a kiss against his knuckles with obvious affection.
The vampire looked equally pleased.
Elsewhere, nobles drifted through the newly arrived flowers.
Speaking quietly.
Offering compliments.
Asking questions.
Some were refused.
Others earned smiles.
One vampire bowed formally before extending his hand.
The flower considered him for a moment.
Then accepted.
The ballroom around them erupted into applause.
Penny stared.
She didn't understand any of it.
Vampires ate humans.
That much she knew.
Then why were they being polite?
Why were they asking?
Why weren't the flowers running?
Why did they look happy?
The king's cautious arms remained around her waist.
As though afraid she might bolt.
Penny barely noticed.
Suddenly, she spotted a flash of dark red hair near the end of the line.
The girl from the ship.
Relief hit so hard it almost hurt.
She was alive.
The vampire in sea-green velvet stood beside her.
Speaking softly.
The girl laughed.
Actually laughed.
A moment later, he offered his arm.
She accepted it without hesitation.
Penny's stomach dropped.
No.
No, no, no.
She wanted to scream.
Wanted to grab her.
Wanted to drag her back toward the sea.
Couldn't she see what these creatures were?
Couldn't she see the danger?
But the girl simply smiled at something the vampire said and allowed herself to be led deeper into the ballroom.
And for the first time since arriving in the kingdom, Penny wondered if she was the only person who was afraid.
Movement near the doors caught the king's attention.
His expression darkened slightly.
Not anger.
Disapproval.
A group of men in military uniforms had finally arrived.
Late.
The officers entered together, pausing frequently as flowers greeted them.
One young woman caught a captain's sleeve and laughed at something he said.
Another demanded a dance before he'd even crossed half the ballroom.
The soldiers accepted the interruptions with practiced patience.
Smiling.
Bowing.
It looked like they were promising dances later.
Then Penny spotted a familiar face.
The soldier.
Relief hit her unexpectedly.
He moved through the crowd with easy confidence, returning greetings and answering questions, but unlike the others, he never stopped long with any particular flower.
He simply continued toward the ballroom.
The king lifted one finger.
A small gesture.
The soldier changed direction immediately.
Whatever passed between them meant nothing to Penny.
The words were lost.
But the tone felt strangely familiar.
The king spoke.
The soldier listened.
The king spoke again.
Longer this time.
The soldier's expression shifted somewhere between apology and amusement.
Penny couldn't understand the words.
But she recognized the tone.
The king was scolding him.
Around the room, the other soldiers had noticed as well.
One jabbed another in the ribs.
A third hid a grin behind his wine glass.
Several looked entirely too pleased with their commander's discomfort.
Even nearby nobles seemed amused.
The soldier endured it all with remarkable patience.
Finally, he bowed.
Accepting whatever reprimand had been given.
Then his gaze lifted briefly.
Found Penny.
A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.
And before he looked away.
He winked.
Quick.
Cheeky.
Gone almost immediately.
As though being scolded by the king was somehow amusing.
Penny stared.
The soldier returned his attention to his men as though nothing had happened.
A moment later, the musicians struck the first notes of a waltz.
Conversation softened.
The ballroom shifted.
Couples began moving toward the dance floor.
The king said something sharp.
The soldier stopped immediately.
Turned back.
Several of the other soldiers laughed outright.
The king pointed.
The soldier sighed dramatically.
Then approached the throne.
Penny's stomach dropped.
The king took her hand.
His fingers lingered there for a moment before he extended them toward the soldier.
No.
Penny's heart lurched.
No, no, no.
The room.
The ribbon.
The hungry eyes.
Hadn't she already learned what happened when vampires chose something?
Was this a reward?
A punishment?
A gift passed from one predator to another?
Penny jerked backward immediately.
Trying to pull her hand free.
Trying to retreat into the safety of the king's arms.
The king looked startled.
The soldier looked horrified.
Penny struggled harder.
The king caught her gently before she could trip over the long crimson ribbons.
Then, with surprising firmness, he lifted her and settled her between his knees.
His hands framed her face.
Dark eyes searching hers.
Concern replacing confusion.
He spoke softly.
A stream of words she couldn't understand.
The tone sounded reassuring.
The expression on his face looked worried.
Penny understood neither.
The king brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Spoke again.
Then he took her hand.
Carefully.
Deliberately.
And placed it into the soldier's waiting palm.
Penny lowered her eyes immediately as his fingers closed around hers.
The soldier led her toward the dance floor.
Toward the sea of moving bodies.
Penny's stomach dropped.
Couples spun beneath the chandeliers in patterns she had never seen before.
The dances of her village had been simple things.
Circles.
Clapping.
Laughter around bonfires.
This looked like something designed by royalty and madness.
Panic climbed into her throat.
She stopped walking.
Shook her head violently.
Then pointed toward the dancers.
The soldier followed her gesture.
Looked back at her.
And laughed.
Not cruelly.
The sound held so much genuine amusement that Penny blinked.
Before she could protest again, his hands settled gently at her waist.
Then suddenly the floor vanished.
Penny gasped.
For one alarming moment, she thought he had picked her up entirely.
Then she looked down.
Her slippers rested atop his polished black boots.
The soldier grinned.
Penny stared.
He nodded toward the dancers.
Then down at their feet.
Understanding dawned.
Slowly.
He wasn't asking her to dance.
He was going to do the dancing for both of them.
Relief hit so hard she nearly laughed.
The soldier's arm tightened around her waist.
His other hand squeezed hers.
And then they were moving.
The ballroom spun into motion around them.
Penny clutched his shoulders instinctively as he guided them through the dance.
Turning.
Gliding.
Sweeping between other couples.
Her skirts billowed around them.
The chandeliers became rivers of light overhead.
A startled laugh escaped her.
Then another.
The fear fell away for one reckless moment.
The soldier looked down.
Saw her laughing.
And smiled.
The expression nearly stole her breath.
He looked different beneath the crystal chandeliers than he had beneath the moonlit garden paths.
Gone was the dark wool coat of an ordinary soldier.
Tonight, he wore black military silks fitted across broad shoulders, silver embroidery glimmering like frost along his collar and cuffs.
Beautiful in the effortless way only immortal things seemed capable of being beautiful.
Yet his eyes remained unchanged.
The same gentle shade of winter dusk.
The same eyes that had carried her to the sea.
For a moment, Penny forgot herself.
Forgot the ribbon.
Forgot the court.
Forgot the fear.
Then, movement near the far wall caught her eye.
A row of velvet curtains hung between marble arches.
She had noticed them earlier.
Had assumed they led to private rooms.
Now she watched couples disappear behind them.
Vampires.
Flowers.
Laughing.
Kissing.
Hands wandering.
One flower vanished behind a curtain while a vampire buried his face against her throat.
Another stumbled backward, laughing as a noble followed after him.
Penny's face burned.
She immediately hid it against the soldier's chest.
The soldier looked toward the alcoves.
His body went rigid.
Penny felt it instantly.
The laughter vanished from his face.
Something darker settled there.
Anger.
Penny followed his gaze.
One curtain had been left slightly open.
Just enough.
A young man sat slumped on a bench inside.
White silk.
Dark hair.
Empty eyes.
Pale skin.
Far too pale.
Penny recognized him immediately.
The flower that had kissed the vampire's hand earlier.
The flower that had looked so happy.
He wasn't moving.
A thin trail of blood disappeared beneath his collar.
The soldier swore softly beneath his breath.
Angry and immediate.
His arm tightened around her instinctively as he stepped between Penny and the alcove.
Blocking the sight.
But it was too late.
She had already seen.
For one brief moment, she looked up at him.
Really looked.
The easy smile was gone.
The playful wink.
The warmth.
Gone.
What remained looked strangely familiar.
It looked like grief.
And Penny didn't know what to do with that.
Because monsters weren't supposed to mourn their meals.