Page 45 of Chosen By the Fae King

Again, I cursed the male. And cursed myself for caring.

I was laughing at something Sofiya said when a bell chimed, signaling the start of dinner.

As he moved past, Nox paused behind me, lips brushing my ear. “Do not get too friendly with the other candidates,” he warned, voice pitched low.

Heat flooded my cheeks. I stared at my hands, clenching them to hide their trembling. By all the gods, what was wrong with me? No one should affect me this way. Yet a single touch from Nox undid all my composure.

The sea of colors made their way to the dining table. Our names were on small, folded cards indicating where to sit. It took me a minute to locate mine.

Wonderful.

With Nox at the head of the table, I found myself seated to his right. Zoriyah claimed the seat on his left, gracing me with a smug smile. She leaned into Nox, whispering something that made him chuckle.

Anger and something darker twisted in my gut at the intimacy between the pair. Had he been showing her the same attentions in private that he'd shown me? It made me feel foolish.

I focused on the servers and the things they were bringing out. Conversation flowed around the table, never quite including me. I didn't mind, not when I had been served the tenderest steak I'd ever put a knife through.

Silently, I ate, using the skills Hilda had pounded me with over the head. Well, the table manners skills, not the conversation skills.

Questions and comments were directed at Nox, who answered each one with practiced charm. At the other end of the table, it was the same with Lorne minus the charm. When I heard Sofiya's voice, I looked down the row and nearly fell out of my chair.

The corner of Lorne's mouth had lifted. Well, if anyone could soften up the giant, it was probably her.

“Tell me, Zoriyah, how have your parents been doing as of late?”

The sound of her name, of the informal address, on Nox's lips disrupted my thoughts.

“They are well, My King. Very well. Though, they have complained they haven't seen you in ages and were thinking of inviting you to the lake house.”

She reached over and lightly stroked his wrist. “I seem to remember you enjoying the lake house. Quiet thoroughly, if memory serves.”

“Indeed,” he grinned slyly.

“Then you simply must come again,” she insisted provocatively.

I choked on my drink, coughing and using my napkin to cover my mouth.

“Problem?” Nox looked down his nose at me.

“I'll be fine, Your Majesty.”

My cheeks were probably bright red. I hoped everyone assumed it was from embarrassment and not because I wanted to throw myself across the table and remove Zoriyah's eyes with my spoon.

“This food is too rich for her blood, I'm sure,” she commented with false concern. “She's probably used to eating raw potatoes and scraps from someone's garbage.”

The wild thing I pretended wasn't a thing at all willed me to pick up the spoon and go for it. Though the idea had merit, I didn't think being executed for breaking the rules was a good idea.

Not interested in making a scene, I went back to my meal while Zoriyah droned on about other family members and threw out innuendo whenever she could. I hadn't realized how pathetic and desperate she was. It made it easier to tune her out.

“What about your family, Lady Aeryn?”

“Pardon?” I paused with my fork in midair.

“I asked about your family,” Nox restated.

I set my utensil on my plate and stared at it, appetite vanishing. “I have no family, Your Majesty.”

Nox shifted to angle toward me, brows lowered. I'd assumed he knew, especially since I'd shared the fact with Sage. I didn't like talking about it and I really didn't like the idea of sharing my history at this table.

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