Page 62 of Hidden

Rafe straightened, eager to read a signal in her gray eyes, but they were cool and placid. She wasn’t taking any chances—at least not until after the banquet.

With a polite bow, he followed Asus to the next table, excitement tingling in his chest. Outside. Later. Whatever was happening at the way station, it was coming to a head.

Rafe welcomed it.

CHAPTER 21

Aserver placed a platter of aromatic savories before them—spiced dates, wild mushrooms stuffed with herbs, and dabs of rare cheeses on tiny rounds of flatbread. A scatter of roasted hazelnuts nestled with a garnish of wild berries. The dish was as much artwork as food, an opening prelude for the feast to come, but Lila’s appetite was long gone. It had perished the moment Ademar spilled the truth that afternoon.

They were watching her—her mother, Ademar, and her mother’s ghastly servants. Ever since that moment in the guest chambers, one of them had kept her in their sight. There would be no way to avoid dinner conversation with Lord Farras. She could endure that much, but no more. The moment the dancing started, she’d be gone. From an early age, she’d learned how to use a crowd to escape.

She scanned the room, finding Rafe in the throng. He was easy to spot, his dark hair and powerful build so different from the rest. He was still with the fae servant, carrying hot water from table to table so that each guest was attended to before their dinner was served. Her group would be done eating by the time the two reached the back of the room. Only when the last table was served would the servants have a chance to sample the feast, providing there was any left.

She had a sudden, irrational vision of him beside her, tasting everything from her plate. She wouldn’t mind, as long as she could touch him again. She would feed him morsels of cheese and bread, letting her fingertips linger on his soft lips. Heat prickled under her skin, rising up her throat and into her cheeks.

“Are you well, my dear?”

Farras’s voice jerked her from her daydream. He looked down at her with mild curiosity in his dark gray eyes. Their color was unusually deep for a fae, more storm cloud than silver.

“A little overwhelmed, to be truthful.” That at least was no lie.

“Does the food not tempt you?”

“I am saving myself,” she said, hoping it sounded demure. “There are a great many courses.”

“Excess is expected on such occasions.”

“Is expectation the same as desire?”

He leaned closer, and she could smell his scent. It was rich but sharp, like spicy resin. She longed to pull away, but he had an arm over the back of her chair, effectively closing her in. She felt surrounded by the force of his presence, as if he radiated an electric charge. Some fae bled power like that, but most had the courtesy to keep their magic to themselves.

“Faery feasts are notorious for a reason,” he said with the hint of an indulgent smile. “In the old days, they could last for weeks. Legend had it that if a mortal ate at our table, they would be our slave for a hundred years. But I think that was just an excuse to stay for dessert.”

She laughed, as was her role as witless female. “Do you have a favorite dessert, my lord?”

“I do not care for sweets,” he replied. “At least not the type served on a plate.”

“I enjoy tiramisu.”

He lifted a brow. “Is that a human food?”

“It is. A delightful one.”

“And where did you learn of this marvel?”

“There is an enormous variety of human restaurants available in the city.”

He sat back in his seat, releasing her from the shadow of his magic. She rubbed her arms, as if it had left a residue, then stopped when she realized he was watching. Behind his shoulder, her mother was also studying her every move—no doubt wishing Lila was a better actress.

“Have you tried many of these human cuisines?” he asked.

“Quite a few.”

His manner softened, as if he let his public persona slip. “I admire your inquisitive spirit. You have chosen to experience the human world, to learn rather than run from it. That is courageous.”

Lila raised a brow. “Not many would say that.”

He met her gaze. “They do not look beyond their own horizon. You and I see possibilities.”

---