Page 91 of Shadow Wings

Dyter took the lead, and I shuffled behind, trying to reconcile the thin king with the fat, crass man I’d created in myhead.

“Greetings, King Zakai,” Dyter said. “Thank you for granting us anaudience.”

The king used the table to stand and paused for a long moment before moving forward to meet Dyter. Zakai extended his hand. “I am pleased to have you here,” he said. “I’m eager to hear of Verald’s new king and to discuss how we may improve the bonds between ourkingdoms.”

Straightforward. Polite. Open mannered. I narrowed my eyes, clinging to my expectations of his character. He let his people eat each other, I remindedmyself.

He turned to me and, with a slight bow, said, “You must be Ryn the Most PowerfulDrae.”

“I am,” I answered, dipping my head at him, ignoring Dyter’s eye roll. I wasn’t curtseying to rulers anymore. The sheer fact I’d entered this place was a miracle and one I hadn’t even thought about in my desperation to find shelter before the emperor foundus.

“It is an honor to meet you, Ryn, one of the last free Drae. Please,” the king said, pointing at the chairs behind him. “Take a seat so we may talk further. You must behungry.”

I swept my gaze down his frail frame. Dyter said the king was in his forties, but he looked much older, like the starving people in the Penny Wheel of Verald. There was no way we were as hungry as he was. Unease crawled through me at the disparity of my expectations and the reality beforeme.

I sat on the king’s left, Dyter on his right, and servers rested plates before us and removed the gilded domes covering the platters. The aromas of roasted meat and rosemary, rich gravy, potatoes with thyme, and baked apples with cinnamon assailed me, and all thought fled my mind butone.

“What kind of meat is that?” I asked. There was no way I was going to eat another person, no matter how good itsmelled.

The king glanced at one of the servers who answered, “It’s roastedpheasant.”

The bird was in an arrangement of herb-roasted vegetables. My mouth watered in anticipation as Dyter and I loaded up ourplates.

I cut into a potato, popped it in my mouth, and vowed I would never begrudge a potato again. As I chewed, I glanced at the king and found him watching me. His eyes were a rich blue . . . in fact, his eyes were the color of my scales, lapislazuli.

More confusion twisted my insides, and my gaze fell to his emptyplate.

“You’re not eating?” Iasked.

He gave a small smile and a casual wave of his hand. “I’m not hungry just at themoment.”

Uh-huh, and I was the queen of walking potatoes. I shrugged, choosing to take him at face value for now, and placed some of the greasy bird meat in my mouth. I withheld a moan.Just.

“I hear Verald is prospering as never before under Caltevyn’s rule,” the king said. “It’s been what? Just two weeks since his ascension to the throne,yes?”

I heard a rumbling sound and looked to the source . . . the Gemond king’sstomach.

Dyter swallowed a huge mouthful of meat and gravy and answered, “You’ve heard right.” He glanced at me. “King Irdelron kept a store of Phaetyn blood to preserve his immortality. With the Phaetyn’s permission, this is now being put to use on theland.”

The king leaned forward. “The lands arehealing?”

“They are.” Dyter nodded. “And they will continue to heal and provide a more bountiful harvest with each year. The Veraldian people will grow instrength.”

“I am happy for your people,” the king said, and I paused mid-chew, hearing the complete honesty of hiswords.

He sighed, resting his head in his hand. “If I could do the same for my people, Iwould.”

Yeah, right. I opened my mouth, but Dyter intercepted me. No doubt onpurpose.

Dyter leaned down and picked up a small case, placing it on the table. I’d seen Caltevyn give it to him before we left Verald. He’d guarded the case during our trip as zealously as I guarded my meager collection. He pushed the case toward the Gemond king. “King Caltevyn sends his regards and thisgift.”

The king glanced at the case. “With whatintention?”

“No strings, King Zakai,” Dyter said, resting his cutlery on thetable.

I cut a baby carrot in half, but for some reason, I wasn’t feeling hungryanymore.

“King Caltevyn wanted you to have this gift. He asked me to press upon you that this is yours, no matter what your decisions are regarding othermatters.”

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