The Art of Blood and Power (Book 2 in The Gifted Trilogy)

36- A Royal Dinner Party

"You know, if you wanted an invite to my dinner party, you could've just asked," Nox hummed mockingly as I looked over at Cicero. His face told me that he was as surprised as I was. This was supposed to be an empty gym, a shortcut to the secret entrance that would put us on the southern and darkest side of the palace. 

My heart hammered in my chest as it took everything I had not to raise my hand to my jacket to ensure myself that the ancestral crown was still there. I knew the chances of us escaping were now slim to none, but I refused to express that fear and hopelessness on my face as Nox examined our group. The black veins that starkly marked his face the last time I saw him were paler now, less noticeable but still there.

The rest of the guests seated at his table looked towards us with mild interest. I could tell by their suits and gowns that they were nobles, likely the ones Nox kept closest, ensuring their loyalty to him with money and power.

"Oh, and you brought our dear old friend with you, General-turned-traitor" he spoke nodding towards Cicero before his eyes swiftly moved towards June in pleasant surprise. "Ah, and traitor-turned-General too!"

I felt Kess slowly reach out and grab my hand, taking a step towards the door as if we could simply walk back out of them and pretend none of this had happened.

"Oh don't be shy, Kesserian, we're both kings here. Come sit at my table, won't you," Nox spoke, gesturing towards the open seat at the end of the table, directly opposite him.

"I think I'll remain standing, thanks" Kess replied, matching Nox's tone of casualty in the way that only two men well versed in constantly putting up a false front could.

"Don't be ridiculous, this is a dinner party after all" Nox insisted, his eyes narrowing with warning, the threat of what would happen if he refused again clear in his gaze. "Sit."

There was a brief pause before Kess stepped forward, gripping the wooden seat and pulling it as far from the table as possible before sitting down. Nox grinned at him.

"Isn't this lovely, half of the Naturian kings, seated together once more," he hummed, leaning to the right side where Lux was sitting. It startled me to see him sitting there so expressionless after our conversation in my dream, I was almost convinced it had all just been my imagination.

But as his gaze lifted and his bright green eyes met mine, I knew I hadn't imagined the conversation.

"I do admit being quite impressed at your execution for breaking into my palace," Nox continued on, pouring wine into his cup as if we were all having a casual conversation about the weather. "Here I was assuming you'd be using the Veiling. Alas, it appears my soldiers are brainless enough to be distracted by two drunken men. They will be justly punished for their ignorance, and as for the two men, I'm afraid they have nobody else to blame for their deaths but themselves. And you five, of course,"

I swallowed the guilt and grief I felt for playing a role in the deaths of Donovan and his friend. This was the price innocent people paid for helping us. And I had no one to blame but myself.

Kess remained silent, hands folded in his lap, ready to spring forward at any moment. The woman seated beside him, decked in more jewelry than her tiny frame likely weighed, leaned forward towards Kesserian. "Is it true what they say about your family's tragic death?" she asked him as if it were a perfectly reasonable table conversation.

I gritted my teeth as Kess replied to her coldly, "I'm afraid it doesn't matter what I say. I'm sure you've come to your own conclusions long before I walked through those doors."

"Now Kesserian," Nox tutted as if Kess was a misbehaving child. "The lady is only curious about you, which she has every right to be, you are a truly fascinating person." He leaned forward, excitement in his voice as he spoke, "all of Naturian is waiting with bated breath to hear about the life of its most eligible bachelor. One of its most eligible bachelors, that is, if you include Marlowe. Though something tells me that he is still hung up on the proposal rejection of your sloppy seconds."