Page 59 of Shadow Wings
Kamoi led me to a seat, and as soon as I sat, I was glad I wasn’t on a cushion. This corset was definitely tootight.
“You are radiant tonight.” Kamoi leaned in and brushed my hair back off my shoulder. His breath hitched, and he swallowedhard.
“We’re here as friends,” I reminded him, waving him away as I would afly.
His eyes dipped, and a slow smile pulled at one side of hislips.
“Friends,” I said in a sharpertone.
Grinning, he held his hand over his heart and chuckled. “I must apologize once more. I find it hard to remember my promises when you look the way youdo.”
I mumbled, “That’s at least the third apologytoday.”
“I suppose I should apologize for that, too,” heteased.
I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to the Phaetyn as food was laid out before us. Everyone was dressed in the same fashion as Dyter and me in varying states of grandeur and colors. Some corsets and vests were embroidered as mine, and some plain. The flower crowns were all made of the same pale-green flowers, interspersed with tiny whitebuds.
I snickered as Dyter’s stomach rumbled, and the Phaetyn sitting on cushions in front of the royal table looked at him. “Bithungry?”
“Just a little,” he grumbled. “All I’ve had today isfruit.”
My mouth watered at the layout of food. Freshly baked rolls gave off a delicious aroma, steam still rising from them in wavering tendrils; the bright colors of salad vegetables drew my eye next, and then the arrangement of cut fruit.And. . .
“What’s that?” I asked Kamoi, pointing at a fountain with brownliquid.
“Excuse me,” he said to his father sitting on the other side, and then Kamoi turned to give me hisattention.
Oops.
“Yes, Ryn?” he asked, smiling as if I hadn’t been totally rude. I pointed again, and he said, “Liquidchocolate.”
I frowned at the unfamiliar word. Even in Tyrrik’s tower, I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard mention of it. “What’schocolate?”
Kamoi grinned. “Really?” When I nodded, he added, “I can’t believe you haven’t hadchocolate.”
“I guess starving people don’t get access to it,” I replied, feeling a little defensive. I’d kind of meant it as a joke, but as his smile faded, I wondered. Just like the abundance on King Irdelron’s table, this display of food had me on edge. Verald was doing a lot better with the Phaetyn blood Caltevyn was spreading throughout the Quota Fields, but still, if the Phaetyn just made three or four trips a year out there, everything could be so different . . . for Verald and Gemond. The blood Caltevyn had would only last so long, and while I would do all I could to keep people fed, I was only onePhaetyn.
“I’d love to try it,” I said, trying to cover the moment, and Kamoi recovered hissmile.
He stood and rounded the table to load fruit onto a small plate. He then poured some of the liquid chocolate into a crystal bowl and placed both beforeme.
He selected a strawberry and dipped it in the chocolate then popped it in hismouth.
The stuff was a rich brown. Honestly, the thick liquid chocolate looked the same color as the dirt in Verald, like the mud pies Arnik and I had made as children. I took a cautious sniff, surprised when I detectedsweetness.
I picked up a blueberry and dabbed the tiniest bit of brown on it. Smiling at Dyter, I popped the fruit in my mouth. My eyes widened as the chocolate coated my tongue. “Holypancakes.”
“Good, isn’t it?” Kamoiasked.
I nodded frantically, pushing the fruit at Dyter. He picked a piece of apple and dipped it before taking a bite of thefruit.
He chewed and swallowed. “It’s al’right, bitsweet.”
Miserable old coot. I went for a strawberrynext.
“I’m pleased the chocolate meets with your approval,” Kamoi said when I was on my thirdstrawberry.
Did it ever. After my connection with the trees, and seeing the man levitate water today, this was a solid third tick in the Phaetyn’sfavor.