Page 158 of Moonmarked

And she danced away to the next table, leaving me breathless.

Rune looked at me. “What did she say to you?” he asked under his breath, barely moving his lips, and I realized he hadn’t heard, just like I hadn’t heard what she said tohim.

The sudden fear crushed my shoulders. “Rune, we?—”

“There they are, my favorite—favoritecouple in all the realm!”

Lyall was at the table, dragging a chair from where a fae woman had been sitting close to us. He sat down and drank the last of the wine that had been in his glass.

What the hell is happening?!

He smiled and his eyes sparkled with excitement, and he was in a better mood than I had ever seen him before.

As I looked at him, every instinct in my body came alive at the same time. A fae waiter wearing black and white velvet came closer and poured wine from a crystal bottle into his glass, but Lyall didn’t even turn to look at him. Henever once took his eyes off Rune and me. Just sat there and smiled and breathed for a good long moment…

Run,said Hessa’s voice in my head, at one with my instincts.

Too late now.

“So, tell me—what did you think of my speech? I didn’t want to go overboard with it, but I did want to make an impact, if you know what I mean.” He grinned. “Tell me the truth. Was it good?”

He was looking right at me when he said this.

My lips opened, the need to get his attention off me too strong. “It was a good speech.” Not that I’d listened carefully, but he’d obviously rehearsed it. Had taken his time to prepare it.

Lyall laughed. “You have good taste—for a…twisted mortal or whatever it is that you are, Nilah.” He then raised his glass to us and drank.

My stomach fell. I looked at Rune only for a second as he, too, sipped his wine, but he was focused on Lyall, his shoulders rigid, his hold on my hand tight.

This is not good at all,the voices in my head whispered.

Clearing my throat, I breathed in deeply, put aside my discomfort and looked him right in the eyes. “Thanks, Lyall. And if you don’t mind, we’d like to be on our way now. I’m not feeling very well.”

I tried to sound asniceas possible, but my words had bite—and he didn’t miss it.

But the look on his face didn’t change at all when he said, “It’sYour Highnessto you, mortal.”

I didn’t even get the chance to be surprised before he leaned closer and rested his elbows on the table.

“May I ask what you think you’re doing,Your Highness?” Rune said then, the mock clear in his voice.

Around us, the music continued, the band played their instruments, the people pretended not to watch while they did…

Run.

“What do you mean? Sheisa mortal, is she not? And I am soon to be king,” Lyall said. “Just likeyouare a banished bastard, Rune Kalygorn. Unwanted by your kingdom, by your family, even the lowlifes of the Neutral Lands. All of these are facts.”

I expected heat to rise up inside me like always, but instead a new wave of ice seemed to take shape inside me as Lyall spoke. My shaking fingers were suddenly wrapping around the golden knife at the side of my plate—this motherfucker. How dare he?!

“I think you’ve had too much to drink, Your Highness. Maybe you should call it a night,” Rune said, but he didn’t seem pissed off at all.

Instead, he was smiling.

Lyall’s smile faltered as he leaned a bit closer. “Oh, but the best part is yet to come, bastard.”

“Thenwewill,” Rune said, and letting go of his glass, made to stand.

Lyall stopped him.

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