gaze toward Neri, “or the custard? Which is perfectly acceptable, I might add, even if the presentation was a bit ostentatious.”
Neri kept her face neutral as she regarded Stolas, but her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides, her chest trembling with every inhalation. “He is under enormous pressure. The decisions he has to make have huge—”
“Do you think Haven is under any less pressure?” Stolas interrupted softly. “That her decisions are any easier? Her losses any less painful? As we speak, her people, our people may be dying under yet another attack from the Sun Sovereign. Our choice to travel here left them at great risk, and now innocent civilians may be suffering for that choice. Tell me, did we make a mistake?”
The muscles in Neri’s neck were taut, her delicate nostrils flaring. “You don’t understand. If you did . . .” She exhaled, her fingers loosening as she met Haven’s stare. “I will talk with him. In the meantime, there’s a reception in the Stargazer Hall for you. All of you. Perhaps after a few more drinks, we can begin again?”
As soon as the queen disappeared, Xandrian impaled a raspberry on his fork and twirled it in the air. “That went well. I vote we keep insulting him and see how long until he has us imprisoned.”
“Or tries, at least,” Bell added, earning an amused—but pleased—look from Xandrian.
Stolas ran a finger over the rim of his mostly untouched wine. “The king insulted Haven. For all we know, that was a test. One that she passed rather amusingly.”
Xandrian said, “Yes, I imagine he rather enjoyed being called dim. And questioning his ability to rule—males love that.”
“If only the negotiations were left to the females,” Surai groaned, her lavender gaze pointedly settling on Xandrian, “we wouldn’t have to play this mine-is-bigger-than-yours game.”
“Other males don’t play those games,” Xandrian corrected with a sly grin. “Not when Sun Lords are present. Otherwise, they would never win.”
Haven’s groan mirrored Surai’s, and when Delphine responded, holding her thumb and pointer finger out to represent a less than impressive length, Haven didn’t need to be fluent in signing to recognize the meaning of the gesture.
Or to laugh along with the others. But just like earlier, the emotion felt hollow. Forced. There was no question in her mind now that if they stood alone against Archeron, every single one of her visions would turn into reality.
And every person in this room would die.
17
Stargazer Hall was a dome situated over a shallow area of the bay, with countless alcoves and tunnels built into the walls. Moonlight streamed in from above, lighting up the floor, which Haven was delighted to discover was made of thick glass that clicked beneath her heels and gave a direct view into the ocean beneath. A light crowd of people gathered in the ballroom, drinking from tall flutes and pretending not to stare at Haven, Stolas, and the others.
Although their attention was mainly reserved for Stolas. The females, especially, stared with doe eyes as he made a show of tasting the wines and pretending he didn’t know he was the fascination of every single mortal in the room.
She convinced herself it was because of his wings—oiled and brushed into a glorious sheen—and not the devastating smile he flashed. A smile that when combined with his sumptuous onyx and silver suit, powerful body, and horns, made him look like a God of old.
“Why does he keep smiling at them?” Bell whispered into her ear as they watched Stolas dazzle yet another female.
“Why does a cat toy with a mouse even when it’s not hungry?” she quipped, surprised by the acid in her tone. Stolas was free to smile at whomever. “He can’t help himself.”
“Goddess help the fools,” Surai muttered from her perch against a column wrapped in tiny seahorse-shaped runelights.
Haven forced her gaze off the spectacle. In truth, if not for the prospect of talking to Eros again, she would have retreated to her room and the giant porcelain bath that was calling her name. It was becoming harder to force a smile and pretend she was fine when every time she looked into her friends’ faces, she saw how they died.
Perhaps that was part of the dark magick. That even now, long after Stolas broke the visions, she relived that in the faces of those she loved most.
King Eros and Neri had yet to appear, so Haven grabbed a flute of the chilled white wine, broke off from the others, and took the