The bitterness of our reality crashes into me. He won’t change, and neither will I. Which is why I need to go back on our agreement. I let my hands press to my pockets, tracing the outline of the phial.
“Fight me as much as you’d like, but you will eat at my side. Let us join my people. Our people, now," he says.
There is no strength left for me to fight him. It's like that, with my heart in my mouth, that I follow him. We return to the feast hall from before. Tonight, there a few seats laid out around the long table, instead of the usual openness that encompasses the way the Enduares share food together.
King Teo takes one of the chairs and motions for me to sit beside him. I resist the urge to refuse and take the seat reluctantly. The food is laid out in front of us, and my apprehension rises as I watch him bite a skewer full of meat and mushrooms. My plan to poison him seems more daunting now that he's sitting beside me.
As is to be expected, people come and go while we eat. Some to whisper about things I don't understand, others to say something seemingly inconsequential as they sneak glances at me.
It weighs heavily on me as I pick at my food, my stomach twisted into knots. I try to avoid looking at Teo, knowing that his eyes are always on me, but eventually, I can't help but glance in his direction. His gaze is intense, unwavering, and a shiver runs down my spine.
"Are you still angry?" He asks, breaking the silence between us.
I raise an eyebrow, unsure of how to answer. My eyes flicker down to his food, which one of the cooking Enduares has just replenished. When I see a new Enduar hovering behind him, a new idea strikes. The difference between those who merely get by and those who succeed is courage. "What kind of meat is that?" I ask, pointing at his metal plate.
“Cave bear. We call themruh’glumdlor.”
I nod. “Arlet has told me.”
He returns to his food. “It’s the most common food that we eat—wyrmhlumesare less than appetizing andruc’radesare too small,” he studies me as he speaks. “Sometimes we eat…” he searches for the words, “Glow spiders.Aradhlumes.”
I nod, cataloging each of the names. “Do you enjoy it?”
His sculpted eyebrows draw together. "Not in the mood to fight anymore?
My skin flushes. “You told me I had to interact with others in our contract. Liana mentioned it again, too. This is me being curious.”
He purses his lips, and lets out a long breath. “Yes. And I hope you enjoy it as well, for it is the most common meat you will eat here."
I look up at him through my eyelashes, something I've never tried but have seen plenty of other women do. Attracting male attention hasn't ever been as important as it is right now. "Can I try some?"
He is utterly dumbfounded. "Did you not hear me? We eat it several times a week, if not every day."
The corners of my mouth curl up, and I feel sick. Flirting is foreign to me, and it sounds so disingenuous to my ears after our fight.
"I was hoping," I drawl, "to try yours, Teo."
His eyes widen a fraction of an inch.
"Myfood?" he asks, his voice low. He doesn’t understand this change, but he’s not rejecting it. “You wish to eat off my plate?”
I nod, trying to keep the tremble out of my hands as I reach for his skewer. “Do the sovereigns not display affection in public?”
He grunts. Teo's eyes never leave mine as I bring the meat to my mouth, and bite down. Teo's pupils dilate, and I see the flicker of desire in his eyes that I was hoping for. It's working.
It's working a little too well if I'm being honest. This is a manipulation for him, but it makes both our crystals hum happily. It makes me want to touch him. There is something about reaching for his plate that is intimate like we really are a pair.
Luckily, the man lurking approaches and steals the king's attention away. Still nibbling on the skewer, I use my other hand to deftly unstopper the poison and pour some on my finger. I bring that hand up, hoping they don't see the greenish hue to my fingertips as I rub them around the hunks of bear.
Then I put the food back in front of the king and sit back. He seemingly ignores me for a long moment, barely doing more than flaring his nostrils as he gives his full attention to this mysterious newcomer.
I refuse to look at my handiwork. As the conversation between Teo and the newcomer drags on, I panic. My palms grow sweaty.
It takes significant willpower not to fidget, so I clutch onto those window doors in my mind to keep his mind out. It will just take a few moments for him to eat, but the poison will take at least an hour to set in.
At that point, I will have to steal a new fur and leave. It will be all right.Everything will be all right.
I allow myself to look. All of my attention is reduced to the king's plate as I try to keep my breathing even. I don't realize that the conversation is over. His large hand picks up the skewer, and I meet his eyes, trembling.