Page 36 of The Shadowbound King

“You may sit,” he said.

I started toward the sole unoccupied chair.

“No.”

I froze, my skirts in my hands.

Andrin pointed at a spot next to his feet. “You’ll sit here, Mirella. Like a good pet.”

Murmurs raced through the hall. Rane stared at me, the ghost of a smile playing around his mouth. My hand itched for the knife he’d taken from me.

But I was helpless, and we both knew it. The immortals at my back knew it, too. Andrin tested me. If I refused to sit at his feet, he’d have a reason to punish me—and he’d do it in front of everyone.

Heart thumping, I moved to the spot he indicated. Facing the crowd, I sank to my knees and fixed my gaze on the double doors. My heart thumped hard, and heat seared my cheeks. But I kept my chin high as I rested my backside on my heels and folded my hands in my lap. After a few moments of staring and whispering, the nobles returned to their conversations. But glances continued to slide my way.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Andrin motion to a servant. The man approached, and Andrin murmured something in his ear. A moment later, the servant returned with a plate of food and placed it on the wide arm of Andrin’s throne.

The scent of savory spices and roasted meat teased my nose. My mouth watered, and my stomach grumbled. Across the hall, a group of nobles began stacking empty wine glasses in the center of their table as if they wanted to see how many they could layer before the tower collapsed.

I kept my back straight and my stare straight ahead. The boards of the dais dug into my knees, but I didn’t attempt to find a more comfortable position.

Cloth rustled. Andrin’s hand appeared before my face, a bit of meat pinched between his fingers.

I turned my head. His copper-colored beard hugged his strong jaw. His blue stare was unwavering.

“Eat.”

I reached for the food.

“No,” he said, pulling it back. “Feral little things don’t eat with their hands.”

Loathing seared my chest, the blaze so intense I thought flames might shoot from my eyes. When he offered the meat again, I turned my head away.

I received no warning. Not even a hint of movement before his hand gripped my collar and he pulled me into his lap. Yelping, I flailed for a second before I landed on a hard thigh. An equally hard arm circled my waist and clamped me tightly against him. His chest was like a rock against my back as I stared over the crowd, my pulse roaring in my ears.

“We can add obstinate to feral,” Andrin said, his breath fluttering over my nape. His lips brushed my temple.Snap!I sucked in a breath as magic stung my skin.

He plucked another morsel of meat from the plate. “I won’t have it said that I let you starve under my roof. You can eat at my feet or you can eat on my lap. Either way, you’re going to eat.” His beard brushed my ear. “See? I give you choices. It’s more than a thief and assassin deserves.”

My blood boiled. “I’m not—” My words cut off when he stuffed the morsel in my mouth. Cooked to perfection, it fell apart on my tongue. Succulent juices slid down my throat, and I chewed and swallowed before I could think to spit it out.

“Good girl,” Andrin said, his chest rumbling against my back. His hair brushed my arm as he turned his head and spoke to Rane. “It appears our feral little thing can be taught.”

The heat in my face spread down my body. I wasn’ttheirs. Given how they’d spent the morning, they saw me as nothing more than an easy target for their cruelty and mockery.

Good. At the first opportunity, I’d make an offering of thanks to the gods.

Andrin held another morsel to my lips. His lips teased the curve of my ear, and an edge of warning entered his tone. “If you bite me, I’ll assume you don’t want anything I have to offer, including the gown you’re wearing. You can finish serving the court in your bare skin.”

I opened my mouth. Andrin’s satisfaction was palpable as he placed the morsel on my tongue. As soon as I swallowed, he held more food to my lips. I took it, careful to keep my teeth away from his fingers. His arm was a thick band around my waist as he continued breaking off bites of food and bringing them to my mouth. His thigh was like a rock under my buttocks, his chest warm against my back.

Across the hall, the nobles building the wine glass tower added another layer. Music swelled. Lady Vivia stared at me, her eyes narrowed with dislike.

“You have an enemy in Vivia,” Andrin said in my ear. He pushed a piece of bread into my mouth. “Her people are Shadow Eaters. Or, they were before your father stole the Kree. They’re all gone now.”

Despite my predicament, curiosity sparked. I quickly chewed and swallowed. “Where did they go?” I dared to ask.

“To their deaths,” Andrin said, his voice clipped. “They were overwhelmed by shadow in the Edelfen. She’s lost a great deal to the shadows.”

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