Page 89 of The Alien's Cruel Starfrost Domain

I catch her hand before it can reach my face. “I remember that no one plays the game better than you do.”

Her smile is both pleased and predatory.

I step closer, until our bodies almost touch. “You know as well as I do that everything in our world is about power. Who has it. Who wants it.” I pause deliberately. “Who’s willing to take it.”

Her breath catches. “Dangerous words, Your Lordship.”

“These are dangerous times.” I release her hands and step back. “So what do you say? Will you stand with me tonight?”

She makes a show of considering, though we both know she’ll accept. The potential benefits outweigh any risks she might suspect.

“Very well.” She smooths her already perfect hair. “I accept your invitation to be your chosen companion this evening.”

“Excellent.” I bow over her hand again. “Shall I send my personal seamstress to assist with your preparations?”

“That won’t be necessary.” Her smile turns knife-sharp. “I came prepared for any... eventuality.”

Of course she did. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a dozen gowns ready, each chosen for a different possible scenario.

“I’ll leave you to your preparations.” I turn to go, then pause. “Oh, and Uanna?” I glance back over my shoulder. “Wear red.”

Her eyes widen slightly at the traditional color of blood allegiance. “Are you certain?”

“Absolutely.” Let her think what she will of that. Let themall wonder what it means.

I stride from the library, my mind already racing ahead to my next move.

I only hope I can live with what I’m about to become.

CHAPTER 26

LARA

Mid-afternoon, two of Ivrael’s footmen ride into the courtyard on the ice horses the duke favors. I hadn’t realized Ivrael had sent anyone out to keep watch—though I guess it makes sense that he’d want to know when Jonyk got close.

With the footmen’s return, the news rushes through the manor: Prince Jonyk’s entourage is set to arrive within the quintclick—roughly an hour on Trasq.

All the servants in the house sweep into a flurry of activity, adding final touches to the preparations.

“Finish spicing the meats,” Adefina instructs Kila before turning to me. “And you, arrange them on the plates.”

Moments later, the housemaids begin trooping in, gathering trays in their arms to set out the welcoming feast. I place the cold, raw meats artistically on the platters Adefina has set out for me and hand them off, ignoring Oriana’s sneer as she pointedly avoids touching me when she accepts the food.

Hefting a large crockery jug into my arms, Adefina says, “Take this and have Ramira give it to one of the footmen.”

I grunt at the weight of it but stagger off to follow the cook’s instructions.

I follow Oriana into the dining room and stop with a gasp. I haven’t been in this part of the house recently—we’ve been too busy preparing food to have had much part of preparing the manor, so all I’ve seen is the ballroom—but what had been a small dining room has been transformed into a banquet hall. Walls I hadn’t even realized could be moved have been retracted, combining what had been several rooms into one large space.

It truly is beautiful, with its blue and white walls, long tables draped in white tablecloths, and silver and white china. I shake off my wonder and track down a footman. “I think this is the chilled wine for tonight,” I tell him.

Like Oriana, he is careful not to touch me when he relieves me of my burden. I have a sudden urge to lunge forward and wipe my hands down the sides of his face. It’s all I can do to repress a snort at the thought.

Instead, though, I take one more look at the transformed hall. That’s when I finally notice something that’s been niggling at my subconscious since I walked in, something so out of place that even a stranger to this realm could notice it.

The head table sits at the front of the room, and the food is set out buffet-style along one wall. In the center of the buffet table stands an enormous ice sculpture.

A dragon.

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