Page 27 of Her Dark Reflection

‘What a sweet thing you are,’ he said, and I held out the plate, watching as his eyes immediately caught on the apple.

I plucked a piece of cheese and offered it to him, smiling wickedly. ‘Sweet, perhaps, or selfish enough to know that replenishing your energy might prolong this night.’

He ate the cheese directly from my fingertips, grinning like he was my accomplice in a crime. ‘I see you are a woman who knows what she wants, and how to ask for it.’

So predictably blinded by ego. I selected a slice of salted pork and popped it into his mouth.

‘I find myself craving something sweeter,’ he said. Before I could pick something else, his eyes slid back to the apple. Placing the plate on the bed, I picked up the apple and ran my hands over it, my mind darting back to the way Draven had spun it on his fingertips in the street, his movements deft and sure.

‘Do you know of the apple trees in Myrshda?’ I asked, pushing the memory away. ‘I’ve heard tell there are groves of them north of the capital that bear fruit of burnished bronze, and that they gift waking dreams to any who eat them.’

‘Waking dreams?’ the king smiled indulgently. ‘And where would you have heard such a tale? It’s rare for anyone to cross the Shifting Planes.’

‘Rare, but not impossible. I’ve also heard that lovers eat them together, to strengthen their love beyond the material realm. Isn’t it romantic?’

His eyes were fixed on my hands. ‘In the dealings I’ve had with Myrshda, I’ve never thought of them as a romantic people.’

I smacked him lightly. ‘How you crush a girl, Your Majesty, with all your worldly knowledge. Leave your rationality in the throne room. Tonight, anything is possible, and every fanciful tale is true if we want it to be.’ I held the apple up to his mouth, locking onto his gaze. ‘Will you dream with me?’

When he bit into the fruit, his eyelids drooped in pleasure. I had thought that I would have to cajole him into finishing it, since Draven hadn’t mentioned exactly how much would need to be eaten for the enchantment to take hold, but I needn’t have worried. After the first bite, a crazed hunger seemed to possess him, and he took the fruit from my hand to better be able to tear at it, quickly ripping the flesh apart and crushing it between his teeth, consuming the whole thing in a few bites, core and all.

Then, as he licked juice from his fingers, he looked at me and froze. His pupils dilated to swallow the blue of his irises, his jaw slackened, and he stared at me like he had suddenly realised I was a goddess. Reaching out, he touched his sticky fingers to my cheek, then cupped my face in both hands.

‘I feel as though I’ve been aching for you all my life and I didn’t even realise it.’ His voice was hushed with wonder. I had known what the apple was supposed to do, but seeing the effect now was startling. He was looking at me withhunger. It was almost frightening.

He had me again, and again, and seemed still unsated.

The hunger remained.

Isnuckfromhisbed when the dawn was still grey and slipped back to the servant’s quarters. Perhaps it might have been a gamble to leave like that, but it’s never a good idea to be too available. And I wanted a bath.

The early hour at least meant the shared bathroom was unoccupied, and I stayed in the water for a long time while I soaked away the night’s activities. Had I really spent the night with the king? It seemed such a far-fetched idea. The memory of holding the apple to his lips was already taking on a hazy quality and I could almost have convinced myself that I’d dreamed the whole thing.

The day had well and truly set in by the time I entered the servant’s dining room, and I found the other maisera already eating and Mrs Corkill milling about, chastising a girl for the state of her room. The sounds of the bustling kitchen filled the halls, and maids ran back and forth just beyond the door as they set about their morning tasks. They often looked in at us as they passed, slowing down just long enough for their gazes to rove over the gathered maisera, their expression reflecting whatever judgement they were casting, whether they thought us evil harlots or poor wretches suffering from unfortunate circumstances. One glare from Mrs Corkill sent them scurrying away to their chores.

Senafae was frowning at another letter when I entered the room, but she grabbed at my arm and pulled me into the seat beside her when she saw me. ‘Where were you last night?’ she asked, her voice tense.

I’d promised not to lie to her again. What harm would the truth do? ‘I was with the king,’ I admitted, and she gasped loud enough to draw the attention of everyone nearby, then clapped a hand over her mouth. Mrs Corkill sent a stern frown in our direction.

‘Sorry,’ she said, glancing to where Vanaria was watching us with her eyes narrowed.

‘I don’t care if she knows. It isn’t a secret.’

She seemed to recover from her shock enough to stop gaping at me in a way that bordered on horrified. ‘What was it like?’

I screwed up my nose. ‘I know you want me to tell you it was the best night of my life and he’s a lover like no other, but he was just another client.’

‘Is he… physically gifted?’

I laughed. ‘No more than average.’

‘At least tell me his room was impressive.’

‘Oh, you wouldn’tbelievehow soft his sheets were. I’ve never felt silk so fine.’

She snorted and began fiddling with her plaited bracelet, fixing her gaze on it as she asked, ‘Do you think he’ll call for you again?’

‘I’m counting on it.’

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