Page 37 of The Shadow Path
“So that’s Orla.” Carys examined the fae prince beside the Éiren queen. “And Cian is a light fae?”
“Yes,” Cadell said. “But trust me, the lightness in him only extends to his hair and his eyes.”
Cian was Orla’s equal in beauty and grace. The two regents seemed to move as one, dark and light, human and magic. They were mirrors of each other, their expressions dual masks of benevolent power as they surveyed the banquet.
In the royal garden, fae, humans, and magical creatures of all kinds mingled and sprites danced overhead, their high, bright voices creating a background of joyful music to accompany the feast.
Soon after Carys and her friends were seated, human servers in bright red uniforms spread through the garden, serving roasted game, root vegetables, and fresh fruit in massive platters that filled the center of each table.
Dafydd rose to his feet and lifted a goblet filled with red wine. “To our host,” he shouted. “To King Harold and his house.”
“Hear, hear!” Lachlan called. He spoke to the crowd, but his eyes landed on Carys.
“Eat.” Duncan placed what appeared to be an entire goose leg on the plate in front of her. “You’ll need your energy for dancing.”
The orchestra cued up,and a pair of pipers stood at the entrance of the garden as the tables were moved back to the edges of the lawn. Quick-moving servants had already laid out a wooden dance floor as the musicians assembled just before the king’s table.
In the bustle of the party, Carys watched as the king’s careful orchestration of seating broke down into magical and nonmagical creatures.
The willowy fae guests gathered together on the far side of the room, whispering and watching the humans, who continued to drink and raise their voices ever higher.
“It’s easy to spot the wolves now,” Carys told Cadell. “There are so many of them.”
“They serve the Anglian throne, and their clans are rewarded with the best hunting grounds across the country.” Cadell spoke softly. “It allows Harold to control a large territory, but make no mistake, many common people resent it.”
“If they’re as territorial as they were this morning in the park, I can see why.” Carys spotted the massive wolf lord called Godrik at the back of the room. “No love lost between dragons and wolves, it looks like.”
“North Wolves are touchy. They aren’t native to Briton.”
“Neither are unicorns.” Carys saw a group of the peace-loving creatures mingling with the fae and some of the human guests.
“Unicorns are beloved wherever they go,” Cadell said. “How could they not be?”
Only about half of the unicorn guests were still in human form while the rest had already transformed into ethereally beautiful horses with twisting horns. They wandered along the edges of the garden and through the trees while the sprites that lit up the garden followed them with joyful abandon.
Cadell kept his voice low. “Did Lachlan claim your first dance?”
“No.”
“No?” The dragon’s voice went up. “Surprising.”
“Duncan claimed it.” Carys frowned. “Does it matter?”
“It’s not a commitment.” Cadell cleared his throat. “But… it is a precedent.”
“See, why don’t you tell me these things?” The back of her hand hit his armored stomach. “I need to know stuff like this, Cadell.”
“I assumed you knew.” He shrugged. “I suppose I should not have.”
“Who claimed Laura’s first dance?”
“Me.” The corner of his mouth twitched up. “I confirmed my place yesterday evening.”
Of course he did. “Okay, well, it’s not a marriage proposal or anything.”
“No.” Cadell turned his face to the pipers, who were starting to play. “But it is a precedent.”
“Again, I don’t know what that means.” She clamped her mouth shut as the dancing started.
