Page 82 of First Light

“Oh yes, he’s a wonderful dancer.” Bonnie nodded curtly. “Does that surprise you?”

“Yes.” She glanced at the tray of bread and cheese he’d had delivered to her room an hour before. “How about the food? What kind of food will be there?”

The lady’s maid asked Bonnie something in Gaelic, Bonnie responded, and then the girl left the room.

“I’ve heard from the cooks that there will be roast boar and venison that the hunters shot this morning. Breads and cakes. Pies aplenty. I promise you won’t go hungry, but try not to eat too much so you can dance.”

“So eat, but drink too, and keep your cloak on, but dance if you can figure out how to dance, but don’t eat too much,” Carys muttered to herself. “I’m going to do something horribly embarrassing, aren’t I?”

“You’ll be one of many humans there, my lady. You’re not the guest of honor.”

“Thank God.” That was her nightmare. “How did Seren do these things?”

“Your Shadowkin was raised in a royal court, Lady Carys.” Bonnie smiled a little. “Formal banquets would have felt as natural to her as breathing.” The maid stepped back and looked at Carys in the rippled mirror. “There. You’re beautiful, but I dressed you in a very different style to Seren. You’ll want to distinguish yourself, I think.”

“Good idea. And thanks.” The last thing Carys wanted was people screaming, thinking she was her dead sister come back to life.

Then again, thatcouldreveal some secrets.

“I’ll call the dragon and the man.” Bonnie patted her shoulder. “Don’t forget, if you get a bout of nerves, Cadell is always there.”

She was trying not to cling to her dragon too tightly, but she had to admit she’d have run screaming from the Shadowlands by now if Cadell hadn’t come along.

“It’s time.” Bonnie walked to the door and opened it. “She’s ready, my boys. Take care of her tonight or you’ll hear it from me.”

Carys stood and suddenly realized why dancing might be an issue. The velvet dress was heavy, and the boning around the bodice was stiff. How did anyone dance in dresses like these?

She glanced at the mirror and marveled. The velvet bodice might have been stiff, but her posture was a thing of beauty. “My mother would be thrilled.”

“You look very appropriate.” Cadell walked into the room, his leather armor the same as it always was, though his hair was perhaps a bit more tame and he wore a green-and-red cloak that matched Carys’s colors. “Colors of Cymru. And King Dafydd has given you the brooch of the nêr ddraig to wear.” He nodded. “Well done, Bonnie.”

The maid nodded. “My lord.”

“Nêrys, we should go.”

Duncan looked her up and down. “You look bonny. Let’s go before the dragons eat all the roast venison.”

Cadell cast him an irritated look. “We already hunted today.”

“Will the other dragons be there?” Carys’s heart jumped. “The three from Wales?”

“Yes, of course.” Cadell took her arm and ushered her down the hallway with Duncan bringing up the rear. “Many of the unicorns from the Moray blessing will also be there, along with a party of light fae and a few local fae who were invited by Darius and Yasmin. I’ll warn you that a few wolves from the Borderlands are accompanying the Anglian lords.”

“Wolves?” She tried not to shudder.

“They’ll be in human form for the banquet,” Duncan said. “You won’t mistake them for anything but what they are.”

“Nothing will happen to you at the banquet,” Cadell said. “It is the safest place to encounter a wolf.”

“But two hundred people?” She was never going to remember any names.

“Not counting the fae,” Duncan said. “Because there’s no telling how many will show up.”

“The fair folk love parties and will often come to human gatherings even if they’re not invited,” Cadell said. “Keep in mind who you are dancing with, because they are attracted to anything or anyone who is a novelty. Do not go anywhere with anyone but me or Duncan.”

She glanced over her shoulder at Duncan. “Are we sitting together?”

“I imagine so,” Duncan said. “Elanor would have put you near people you know. Your uncle will be at the high table with Robb, Elanor, and Lachlan, but Aisling will probably be seated with us.”

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