Page 167 of Enchanted Kingdom
Molly, sitting directly next to the king, pressed her lips together. I assumed she had figured out where the recipe came from.
I plastered on the sweetest smile I could manage. “It was a family recipe of mine, Your Majesty.”
His eyebrows went up. “Is that so? You gave it to my cooks?”
I nodded. “It is a favorite in Nerede. Any way I can use my skills to help serve the crown, I try, Your Grace.”
Who even was I?That had sounded so sincere. I avoided looking across the table as I could feel the sarcastic glare Krew was sending me.
The tester finished sampling the food. After giving it the allotted time while we made small talk, the king took a bite of one and gave his head a shake. “These are truly amazing. Thank you, Jorah.”
“Your Majesty,” Aiyana butted in. “Do you know when the next play will be?”
He gave her a smile. “Soon, I hope. Though it could be a while.”
She beamed. “Oh, that is fantastic to hear. I can hardly wait.”
While the rest of the table settled into meaningless chatter, I focused on my food and not making a fool of myself. I noticed Jane across from me was equally as quiet.
Dessert ended up being a pumpkin flavored cheesecake. I took a bite and had to stifle a moan. It was amazing. And it was already dessert time. Maybe I’d survive the night after all.
Molly smiled from across the table at me as she tried it also. With a look we both communicated what we were thinking. That I loved desserts just a little too much.
A guard came in and began whispering something to the king.
Keir turned toward me and took a drink of his water. “Thank you for coming tonight.”
Aiyana’s head snapped toward Keir. “You say that as if she wasn’t right there at your disposal every single night.”
My cheeks went pink with all that she implied.
Jane gave me a sympathetic look from across the table.
I gave her a little smile.
“Aiyana,” Keir warned.
Krew’s voice was deadly as he leaned in across the table. “Andyousay that as if your father’s power play and disrespect for the crown isn’t the reason she needs to be tucked away safely in his rooms.”
The king, apparently done with whatever message had been delivered, added, “Aiyana, you forget you are fortunate to even still be here. After the stunt your father pulled, I considered removing you from the castle myself.” He squinted, and the entire room seemed to catch and hold their breath. “If you are angry that Jorah is sleeping in Keir’s wing, you have only your own meddling family to blame for it. Jorah is learning her place at this castle. It would do you well to follow suit.”
Aiyana looked down at her water glass. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
I had no idea what to do. The king and Krew were both ripping into Aiyana right in front of me. On one hand, I wanted to cheer and clap. On the other, I knew what it felt like to have the king speak to me like that. I couldn’t help but feel a miniscule amount of sympathy for Aiyana.
But then again, she had started it.
My eyes went again to the portrait above the fireplace, wondering so many things about the family before me. How many times had the princes been on the receiving end of the king’s disapproving tone in this very room? How many times had he used his sole knowledge of who would become king to pit the brothers against one another? And how had his wife endured his presence as long as she had? Her cautious smile in the painting felt like some sort of warning blaring in my ears.
“She was beautiful, was she not?”
I turned toward the king, who must have noticed where my eyes had gone.
“She very much was, yes,” I smiled. “It is a great portrait of you all.”
“The last one painted of all of us together,” Keir added with a sad smile to me.
“She was a great queen,” Aiyana offered.
