Page 9 of The Coveted
“It means it’s time to stop being a hermit and eating all your meals in your room. Lucius is intent that I show you the perks of living like royalty. You have no idea how good you have it, really,” she said, looking at me like she was scolding a child. It didn’t bother me as much as when Daelon did it.
“I can’t really refuse, I assume?” It didn’t seem like that wasallLucius could want from me. I dreaded what else he had in store.
“Nope.”
I liked that Taryn treated me normally. She was rough around the edges, but I could see she had a good heart. She didn’t ask questions about who I was or what had happened before I arrived. She let me have my space. I was growing fond of her in spite of myself.
As she pulled her long strands of dark, nearly black hair into a thick braid, I stole a glance at the shimmering makeup dotting her eyelids and cheekbones in the candlelight. She was drop dead gorgeous, and her accent was soothing to my soul. It was nearly Irish, but not quite. Just like most things here that reminded me of the human realm. Like a song moved just one key up or down from what I’d known.
“Lucius said we had Daelon in common,” I said. The words gnawed their way out before I could stop them, and I regretted the impulse immediately.
She paused, and at first, I thought she looked frightened, but then she burst into a bellowing laugh, snorting slightly. I couldn’t help but smile at her reaction. “Hewouldsay that to you,” she said, shaking her head. “That was a while ago. TheCommander of the Guardand I had a bit of a fling when we were younger, but now we’re just friends.”
“Commander of the Guard?” So that was why he was so used to giving orders and getting his way. It made sense considering his protective gift, and he had said he was some kind of witch trainer. If only I had known…
She nodded, and I was thankful she didn’t make me feel stupid for not knowing when I definitely should’ve. “We weren’t a good fit. He’s hot as all hell, clearly, but we were a bit incompatible. You know, sexually.”
I stilled, unable to keep my eyes from widening and my jaw from dropping slightly. “Um, right.”
Once Taryn started rambling it was hard to stop her. “Like two puzzle pieces with the same curve. Impossible to fit together. Because we both like to be in control, obviously. We were better off as friends.”
She met my gaze, pausing from her inspection of her hair in a handheld mirror. “Oh, sorry. I forgot humans aren’t as open about sex! Daelon mentioned you’d spent your whole life down there with them. Have I made you uncomfortable?”
“No,” I said quickly, though that wasn’t necessarily the truth. It was less about the sexual details and more about the fact that they involved… Daelon. I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in my gut, no matter how much I chastised myself for it. I opened my mouth to reassure her more, but she was quick to start babbling again.
“I’ve never quite understood that about humans. What an unnatural taboo. It’s like insisting that eating food is shameful or dirty. I mean, could you imagine? Calling someone a whore because they’ve tried too many different cuisines, or because they enjoyed chocolate cake just abittoo much,” she laughed, wagging her finger and then clucking her tongue. “It’s like they revel in denying themselves and each other the most basic of pleasures.”
“I don’t think eating is on quite the same level as sex in our hierarchy of needs,” I murmured, surprising us both with another smile. I’d smiled more in this one conversation than I had since I’d been here.
Taryn narrowed her eyes defiantly. “Speak for yourself,” she exclaimed, like I’d just said something offensive.
My mind flashed to Daelon against my will, remembering the pleasure he’d made me feel. Over and over and over again.
Stop it, Áine.I shook my head. “But yes, you’re right. I guess it is very strange. I’m sure there are things about your own culture that are counterintuitive too.” Probably a lot of things, actually. Like murdering a bunch of people in cold blood, or syphoning other witches’ energy for a head high…
Taryn shrugged, looking up as if to consider the possibility. But, with a slight shake of her head, she went back to applying bright red lipstick. I couldn’t help but stare at her flawless skin, contoured cheeks that were blended slightly pink with blush, and the way her dress revealed the full curve of her breasts. I could see why Daelon had been attracted to her, but also why they could never work. The thought of anyone trying to dominate Daelon nearly made me laugh at the absurdity. I stopped myself from following that line of thought back to how he’d dominatedme.
“Come on then,” Taryn said as she finished her work. “Let’s get you ready.”
Chapter3
Dinner had already concluded, so my grand entrance into society would be in the throne room, where the nobility gathered for socializing most nights. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but the vision in my head that was loosely constructed from movies and TV shows bore little resemblance to the reality of this room’s splendor. The space was vast and lit with chandeliers suspended midair, with a tall ceiling thatmoved.Or, rather, the paintings and décor moved… it was currently decorated with what appeared to be nude gods or nymphs, reminiscent of ancient Greek art. As I gaped and stared, I came to think that they might’ve actually been faeries, with their pointed ears and slender forms. They frolicked and danced as if the painting itself were alive.
“Áine, stop that. People are starting to stare,” Taryn snapped.
I lowered my gaze and closed my mouth. The hovering chandeliers cast iridescent shapes on the golden walls, and I wondered if they, too, could shift. There were way more people here than I would’ve guessed, definitely more than a hundred. Meandering around the pockets of people huddled together were servers carrying bright, shimmering drinks, who were dressed plainly and their solemn expressions a stark contrast from the guests.
The beauty of this place was overwhelming, and despite knowing I was in the belly of the beast, I couldn’t help but smile in surprise. Everyone was dressed up in shimmering dresses and dramatic suits, and I realized very quickly that the clothing wasn’t confined along gendered lines. Taryn was wearing a dark blue floor length gown that cinched at her waist and accentuated her curves. She had given me a deep, red dress to wear that she said would complement the tones of my hair. The sleeves hung off my shoulders delicately, with a deep cut neckline and a rather high slit in the skirt. I knew it would make me feel too exposed, but I couldn’t really refuse her kindness.
“Are you quite amused?” she asked, shaking her head at me as I continued to take it all in. A smile worked its way to her lips, though.
“Yes, actually.” I could feel the energy from everyone in the room, which might’ve been overwhelming if it wasn’t so intoxicating. It felt like pure and unhindered pleasure. Again, I was surprised. I had mentally prepared myself for the people of this place to carry the dark, cold energy of Lucius.
Though I could feel that too. I peered toward its main source to our left at the end of the hall, locking eyes with the King himself on his dramatic black throne, detailed with gold, matching his signature attire. Daelon and Nathaniel were there beside him on the dais, along with other members of the guard. Most were men, but a few were women, all clad in black uniforms. There were also regular witches with them who almost appeared entranced. One of the women traced her hand along Lucius’s arm as he whispered to her, but he didn’t move his eyes from mine. Neither did Daelon.
I swallowed, turning back to face Taryn. “What now?”
“There’s nothing special going on tonight, so I think the idea is just to introduce you to some key players and dispel the rumors that are running wild.”
