Page 236 of The Spider Queen
It was my turn to fall silent, but then I squeezed his hand.I don’t think about the things I’ve given up. Not really.
No?
I think about all the things I’ve gained.
His shoulders relaxed, and he brought our joined hands to his lips. “Auri! I think it might be time to find you some clothes!”
“Where do you think I’m going?” she called back.
“The kitchen!”
Auri’s peals of laughter echoed down the hall.
“You have a kitchen?” I asked. “Where they cook food?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t really think food just appears before you?”
“Uh, yeah.” I thought about the night we’d had dinner together in the castle dining room. Plates had appeared in clouds of smoke.
Thane winked. “Just a sleight of hand, really.”
I shook my head in amazement.
“What? I’m a normal man. With a few magical powers.”
“Right,” I said on a laugh. “Normal.”
The hallway ended to spill out into a cavernous room. The ebony stone floor had an arachnid carving in the center. On a raised platform sat two thrones, both carved of the same black stone as the walls. Torchlight reflected off the backs. I shivered in awareness. There was power here.
“Ugh, this room gives me the creeps.” Auri glanced around.
“Then maybe you should leave it,” Thane teased. He pointed to a door off to the left. “Your guest room. Ask for anything you need. My servants will attend you.”
“Well, doesn’t that sound intriguing? Send Gabriel to me when he’s done aiding you,” she commanded.
“This is what you get for having a dragon princess as one of your closest friends.”
Auri rolled her eyes. “And yet you refuse to show me the respect I am due.”
Thane bowed mockingly.
She laughed and then sauntered to the door. “Are we going to share a meal later?” Her eyes went from Thane’s to mine.
“Tomorrow morning,” Thane announced before I could reply.
“Ah, right.” She smirked. “How could I have forgotten?” She walked to the door and placed her hand on the knob. “Until tomorrow then.”
“Thank you for the ride,” I called to her.
“Anytime!”
The door closed, and Thane and I were alone in the throne room. He led me up the dais to one of the thrones. It was ornate and when I touched it, it shimmered black.
“It recognizes you,” he said softly. “It’s yours. Sit in it.”
I gently sat down, marveling at the comfort despite it being made of stone. It was deceptive, of course, not appearing as it truly was.
Thane took his throne next to me, and we sat in silence while I gaped at the space.
