Page 49 of The Death King
His dark eyes were locked on mine like he’d been staring since the moment I’d walked inside. As I examined his accommodations, he examined me.
I was uncomfortable being in his private space, being invited to an intimate dinner like I was a lover rather than a prisoner. The bed on the other side of the chambers felt like it was right beside me, pressing against the backs of my knees.
His hands were together in front of him as he continued to stare. He didn’t beckon me forward with a gesture or speak a word. His angry eyes continued to burn as hot as the fire in the hearth.
I finally left the rug and moved over the hardwood floor into the other room, stepping onto another rug that surrounded the ornately carved dining table. Each of the legs had been carved into the shape of a fire-breathing dragon. A painting was mounted on the wall directly behind him, a flying black dragon releasing a jet of fire that streaked across the sunset sky.
He didn’t seem disappointed by my choice of ugly attire. Must have expected it.
Instead of choosing the seat beside him where my dinner and wine sat, I chose the chair across from him—on the opposite side of the table.
Talon gave no reaction, unsurprised once again.
The servant who stood there glanced at his king, waiting for instructions.
I knew Talon would be too proud to abandon his seat at the head of the table. He would either demand I move…or accept it.
The servant continued to wait for his decision.
Talon finally gave a slight nod, a nod that could mean anything.
The servant grabbed my dinner and glass of wine and brought it down the table toward me. He placed it before me and removed the silver lid to present a meal of roasted chicken and potatoes with sauteed greens. The smell immediately wafted to me, and I couldn’t deny that the meals in the castle were the best I’d ever had.
The servant removed the lid to Talon’s dinner before he departed the chambers.
Talon hadn’t moved since I’d breathed the same air. Hadn’t even blinked. Composed like a statue that withstood the strains of eternity. He should be infuriated that I’d changed the circumstances of the dinner, but his eyes seemed to lose a bit of their edge, like it was hard to be angry when I’d executed the move so fearlessly.
Silence trickled by. Steam from the food rose toward the air, carrying the scent of spices and herbs that made my stomach tighten in hunger when I hadn’t been hungry just a moment ago. It was clear he would never break contact, never blink, so I looked down at my wineglass and took a drink. “You expect me to wear a dress when you choose not to wear anything at all?”
“You’re welcome to not wear anything as well.” Another man would accompany that statement with a playful smirk, but he was so dead serious, he continued to burn me with that hardened gaze.
“I’m good.” I dropped the linen across my lap then grabbed my silverware. I cut into my chicken and watched the juices spread onto the plate. In just a single bite, I recognized the tenderness and the explosion of flavor in my mouth. “I haven’t enjoyed my time here, but I can’t deny the food is exquisite.”
He didn’t reach for his silverware. His hands were still together in front of him as his elbows were propped on the armrests. “I disagree.”
“You don’t like the food?”
“I disagree that you haven’t enjoyed your time here. Because you definitely enjoyed it the other night.”
I was about to stab another piece of meat with my fork when I looked at him instead. “You’re never going to let this go, are you?”
He still didn’t blink—somehow. “No.”
I set my fork down on the edge of the plate. “You’re really telling me all your women don’t satisfy you?”
“All my women?” His eyebrows furrowed.
“I know kings have concubines, mistresses, and whores. I’m sure you have more than average.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you assume I have more than average?”
“Because…” He was young and handsome, and he could be a stableboy and still get pussy hand over fist.
His eyes were locked hard on to mine, like he already knew the answer but wanted to hear me say it to savor the victory.