We wanted to present a united front, and I was confident we were doing it well. Even our steps were in sync as we approached the head table. As the guests of honor, we would sit in front of everyone.
I’d prefer the corner. Or the kitchen.
Lore stopped at the empty seats in the middle of the table and pulled out my chair. The table was large enough to fit our entire court, but everyone was seated on one side so that we could look out on the crowd. Or, more accurately, that we could be looked at. Like animals in a zoo.
Lore and I sat. Servants moved swiftly around the room, carrying silver trays of wine that sparkled with bubbles. I took one and drank, sipping a bit too quickly.
As much as I might want a drink to cut some of the tension, I needed my wits sharp. I hated feeling everyone’s eyes on me, though. It felt like they were waiting for me to faceplant in the soup—either because they wanted me dead, or they’d like the entertainment.
I set the drink aside and looked at Lore. “How long will this last?”
“Too long.” He sipped his drink. “There will be a speech, then dinner, then dancing.”
Ugh. I didn’t think I had it in me. It didn’t help that my friends were seated all the way on the other end of the table.
“Not a fan of large gatherings?” he asked.
“Not fancy ones like this.” I grimaced. “It’s fun to look at, but the formality is not my thing.”
“Likewise.”
I looked at him, surprised. “But you’re a natural.”
“Born to it. But I don’t have to like it.”
“You’re telling me you’d rather have a cheeseburger in the flatbed of a pickup truck?”
“I don’t know what either of those things are.”
I’d chosen the most ridiculous Americana good-ole-boy thing I could think of—the complete opposite of the graceful, ruthless king of the fae—but this was over the top.
“You’re telling me you’ve never had a cheeseburger?”
“I’ve eaten cheese.”
“That’s not a cheese burger.” I shook my head. “Tragic.”
“Among many things.”
“You’re right about that.” Perhaps I’d been hyperbolic with my word choice, but it was still crazy he hadn’t had a cheeseburger. “Pizza?”
“No.”
“Tacos?”
“Still no.”
“If we survive this, we’ll go to the human world and eat the best of their food. It will screw up your cholesterol, but I think you’ll be fine.”
He smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but feel like the sun had come out from behind the clouds. It was so rare to get a genuine smile from him.
It was gone too quickly.
Someone stood and clinked on a glass to draw attention, and Lore turned away. I followed his gaze, spotting the King of the Irish Court standing in the middle of the room.
“I would like to make a toast to our future happy couple.” He smiled and began to speak.
I sighed and settled in for a long evening.
15
Sia
* * *
The speeches were all boring, until they weren’t. Three of the royals of other courts stood to honor our upcoming nuptials, and each one of them ended their speech with a subtle threat that we not overstep with our power.
Why the hell did they think I would make such a difference to the power of Lore’s realm?
I leaned close. “Are they not married?”
“They’re not. Only one of the fae royals has taken a spouse, and he is a recluse on an island in the North Atlantic. The Ocean Fae keep to themselves.”
“But…why?”
“A fae can only marry when they find their perfect match. Their partner. None of the other fae have found that.”
I blinked, staring at him. “Wait, what?”
The corner of his mouth tugged up in a wry smile. “Surprised?”
“More than.” I tried to form words but ended up looking like a fish out of water instead, my mouth opening and closing idiotically. “We’re meant to be together?”
“According to the seer who demanded that you join the competition to be queen.”
“Then why didn’t you just crown me instead of making me risk my life?”
He raised a brow.
Right. He’d already answered that question. I’d had to win to reveal that I was the one. When the competition had started, they’d thought I was just there to be fodder to cause another contestant’s magic to appear. And more than one fae in the competition had gained new magic as a result of it—me included.