Page 62 of Moonmarked

He left, and he took my heart with him, and his name remained locked behind my lips.

“He’s quite something, isn't he.”

Lyall was right in front of me, but for a moment, I didn’t care. For a moment, I couldn’t find a single reason why I shouldn’t run after Rune right now, why I shouldn’t call for him to come back, even ask the prince to give me a fucking moment alone—why the hell not?!

Because Rune.

Because I saw it in his eyes, in the way he spoke. I saw that he didn’t want the prince to know about us. And I trusted Rune. If he thought those reasons why existed, I’d trust him even if I couldn’t see them. I’d trust him until I spoke to him alone.

“He is,” I ended up saying a moment too late, but I was still processing everything in my mind. “You’re a lucky friend.”

Lyall raised a brow, but whether he was feigning suspicion playfully, or whether he was truly feeling it, wasn’t clear to me at the moment.

“We both are,” he said, analyzing my face with that smile that made me incredibly self-aware all of a sudden. “You really do look extraordinary, Nilah. Your beauty puts this court to shame.” Slowly he bowed his head at me as well, and now I was not only self-aware, but I felt uncomfortable as fuck in my skin.

“Oh, please. It’s just me,” I said, cheeks on fire. “Why is everyone bowing to me—you gotta stop. Seriously, it’s weird as hell. Just…stop.”

Lyall burst out laughing like I’d just said the funniest thing he’d ever heard, which then turned up the intensity of my discomfort.

“You are the prince’s savior, Nilah Dune. Youwillbe bowed to.” He said it simply, his voice even, yet the command in it could not be missed. “Come, let’s sit. I’m sure you’re hungry. Please, join me.”

He turned around, waving his hand as if to reveal to me the dining hall he’d invited me to, and it was indeed breathtaking. Just as beautiful as every other detail in this palace. In these people.

It wasn’t like the grand halls I’d seen from the corridors on my way down here—somewhere on the fourth floor. It was quieter, almost completely empty now, save for us and the three guards who’d been stationed right inside the doors, and who looked ahead like they were statues, not moving a single inch. You couldn’t even tell if they were breathing.

A long table made of pale wood stretched across the center, surrounded by twelve high-back chairs carved with delicate vines and blooming flowers. Only two places had been set, side by side rather than across from each other, the plates shining like polished mirrors beneath the floating lights over the table, as well as the lanterns mounted on the walls.

The windows were draped in sheer silks, layers of gold and red that swayed gently with the breeze.

On the right, tall windows opened onto a balcony, less fancy than the gazebo of that room Lyall took me to, and they were both open. That’s why the air smelled like a perfume made of night-blooming flowers.

It felt...too perfect. Like a stage waiting for the players to step into place—and that wasme.

Iwas the prince’s player, it felt like, as he guided me toward the chair on the right, pulled it out for me and then pushed it in gently when I made to sit.

The table was fully set with the strangest foods I had ever seen. Almost too pretty to even eat. I’d eaten in the rest of Verenthia, and the food had been very similar to that of back home—but here?

They had jewel-bright berries, golden breads still steaming, and meats glazed in what smelled like honey that caught the light so perfectly it looked like glass. Bowls of spiced vegetables in greens and reds, while crystal goblets were full of what I was pretty sure waswine.It looked exactly like what everyone had been drinking at Lorei’s orgy in the Enclave.

And the thought of that night made my stomach twist like I’d suddenly swallowed a bag of rocks.

Fuck, Rune…

Nothing smelled heavy or greasy. It was all soft, and the faintest hint of vanilla clung to the air each time I breathed in.

“I hope the food will be to your liking. Not to brag but our court has the best chefs in all the faelands, and my mother, bless her heart, has the best saved for me.”

“That’s, um…that’s great. Really, this all looks so nice,” I muttered.

“If I may serve you some of our finest wine,” he said and picked up the crystal jug to pour in the glass near my plate.

“Thank you, but I’d rather just have water if you don’t mind.” I wasnotabout to get drunk in this place anytime soon.

“Certainly,” Lyall said, and he didn’t look offended in the least. He just reached for the glass bottle near the wine and poured it for me in another glass—there were plentythroughout the entire table. “May I offer a selection of my favorites? I’m dying to see how much our tastes match.”

He said it like the thought genuinely excited him, and it was very difficult to tell if he was being honest.

“Sure. Go ahead,” I said, a bit relieved because I wouldn’t know where to even start. Every plate was like a small, gilded temptation. I didn’t want to overeat or mix the wrong things and get sick. I couldn’t afford to, not here.

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