Page 100 of Cruel Devotion

Only Duck and I still sat at the table. The men that had carried me up, remained at a small table in front of us.

This is so uncomfortable.

As I sat on the throne, a peculiar sense of power washed over me. It was an unfamiliar and intoxicating sensation, like wearing a huge crown I never asked for or becoming an accidental queen in a kingdom of shadows. The grandeur of the throne, the opulent surroundings, and the attentive faces around me lent a surreal quality to the moment.

Every pair of eyes in the space remained fixed on me, and those gazes were heavy with curiosity.

I swallowed.

With each whisper and sidelong glance, I was acutely aware of their scrutiny, the same scrutiny Lei must have endured his entire life.

To grow up under such an unrelenting microscope with every action and word analyzed, had to have been a challenge. I could have never dealt with the constant watchfulness, the need to always present a façade of strength and confidence. For me, it would have been fucking exhausting.

I glanced around, meeting the eyes of those watching me, and further realized the complexity of Lei's world.

How has he done this all his life?

I straightened my back, trying to project a calm I didn't feel. My hands rested gently on the arms of the throne, and I made an effort to appear composed and dignified.

Okay. . .why are they still watching me like that?

It gave me a new perspective on Lei—a deeper understanding of the man behind theMountain Mastermask. All watched while I sat there, as this temporary queen in a king's absence, and the whole time my respect for Lei grew.

Damn. This is hard.

Duck smirked. “Lift your chopsticks and start eating.”

Oh yeah. That's right.

Unease ran through me, but I did what he said.

I hesitated for a moment, feeling the heaviness of those gazes, before I slowly reached for the chopsticks beside my plate and lifted them.

Then, a subtle, collective shift occurred in the space.

The guests mirrored my actions.

Jesus Christ. This is insane.

I took a deep breath, steadied my nerves, picked up a piece of fried tofu, and brought it to my lips. The texture was soft andsilky, the flavor subtle and savory. I chewed slowly, savoring the taste and the sensation of the food in my mouth.

Around me, the chatter and laughter finally resumed.

Thank God. I was about to run my ass off this mountain.

Still. . .despite the resumption of dining, the atmosphere remained charged. Conversations started up again, a gentle murmur of voices that filled the grand space.

But the undercurrent of curiosity and speculation about me continued.

I caught hushed dialogue, punctuated by discreet glances in my direction. Their eyes, some wide with wonder, others narrow with appraisal, flickered towards me between bites and sips of wine.

Man. . .they better stop looking at me.

On the right, a woman in a blue gown loudly laughed at something her companion must have said. Yet, even as she laughed, her eyes darted towards me and remained there for far too long.

I wanted to stir, but I kept my back straight.

On my left, a group of men with tailored robes, held glasses of brandy and spoke in low tones. Yet, even their gazes kept shifting my way evaluating and assessing.

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