Crown of Moonlight (Court of Midnight and Deception #2) - K.M. Shea Page 0,45
I have no idea how she hasn’t been eaten alive. I mean, I’m glad—but I didn’t think it was possible for fae to be like her and survive.
“It was interesting. Are you okay?” I abruptly asked.
Consort Flora’s eyes widened fractionally. “I beg your pardon?”
“Are you okay? You seem…sad?”
“Queen Leila, you overstep your boundaries,” King Birch snarled.
I shrugged. “Sorry, but my human bluntness prevails. And it’s really bothering me that she hasn’t said if she’s okay or not.” I studied Birch, then flicked my gaze to Flora.
Surprisingly, she edged closer to him, her shoulder disappearing behind his. “Thank you for your concern, Queen Leila, but I am in fine health.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” I let a servant steer me over to a seat—once again I was not at all sad to be sandwiched between Rigel and King Solis.
As I sat down in my chair—no corn stalks this time, yay—King Fell plopped down in his seat at the head of the table—which of course was bigger and taller than all of ours.
“It honors me that you have come to witness today’s ceremony and passing of power.” He allowed himself a handsome smile. “May we feast in the presence of autumn!”
Apparently that was the cue to start eating, because after he raised his cup, Queen Rime and King Birch started picking at the food servants had doled out.
“May we feast in the presence of autumn?” I repeated with a scoff. “He sounds like a high school student trying to sound sophisticated while summarizing a book they didn’t actually read. Ow!”
Even though she stood behind my chair, Skye was somehow able to reach my ankle and kick it. “Not here, Queen Leila,” she said in a voice that was all rainbows and sunshine but really held a death threat in it.
I meekly sat in my chair and stared longingly at the food.
Fell had gone all out with the autumn theme.
There was steaming rye bread, pumpkin pastries, roasted chicken, squash soup, oven roasted apples, and heaps and heaps of more platters. Everything was piping hot and smelled amazing…and I couldn’t have any of it.
I woefully watched a basket of rolls travel from monarch to monarch, but rather than eat, I just moved food around my plate to make it look like I was.
I need to end these stupid power games, just so I can actually eat fae food. This is torture!
While the other monarchs seemed to have no concerns about getting poisoned and dug right in to their plates, Rigel only picked at his food—though he drank the mysterious “pumpkin juice” concoction.
I was tempted to try it, but I’d almost died by eating bespelled food once. I wasn’t going to risk it again—especially when I was so disliked among the monarchs one of them was obviously already trying to kill me!
“It could be worse,” Rigel told me after I sighed for the third time. “They could be serving coffee, leaving you able to smell it but unable to drink it.”
“Just rub salt in my wounds, why don’t you?” I abruptly straightened. “But that’s an excellent point. Solis! We need a coffee bar at our New Year’s party!”
King Solis grinned at me, but before he could say anything Queen Verdant dragged him into a conversation.
I turned around in my chair and peered at Skye and Indigo still standing there. “Can I ask for chairs for you guys or something? This feels unfair to have you standing behind me.”
“If you bring any attention to us, I’m going to ask Chase to ban you from all non-official fieldtrips—including your drives to your favorite café.”
“Ouch—why the threat?”
“Because she doesn’t want anyone noticing us since we’re not supposed to be here,” Indigo said through gritted teeth.
I looked up and down the table, and was surprised to see no one else had an attendant or companion standing behind them.
Ah. Okay.
Obviously, since Skye and Indigo didn’t trust me not to run my mouth, I did my best to make them proud and kept my mouth shut while I focused on ferrying food around my plate.
The banquet was only about halfway over when the verbal cat fights began.
I assumed I was relatively safe—they were talking about that annual hunt Skye and Indigo had mentioned.
“I have three new hounds for the hunt this year.” King Birch smirked. “I’m eager to see how they do on the field.”
“It will be more imperative we make sure Verdant doesn’t cheat this year.” Fell shook a finger at the Spring Queen. “You were naughty last year, Verdant.”