"Not a word," Islinda warned Ginger before she could say anything after they had caught up with her.
But the Fae persisted, "My lady, it’s not about the memory glass incident..." Ginger couldn’t finish because the glare Islinda sent her way was enough to vaporize her on the spot.
"I mean, you should eat." She gulped.
Islinda sighed, unable to make life difficult for the poor Fae merely doing her job. It was not Ginger’s fault that she summoned that memory.
What would others think of her now?
Only Aldric knew she had spied on him during coitus with Rosalind. But not anymore. Everyone knew. And more would know soon. Islinda knew how gossip worked in the Fae realm. Fae loved gossip as much as they loved sweets. She was about to become famous again — for the wrong reasons.
If truly the gods existed, then they must be having great fun with her.
Ginger, as usual, found a good restaurant, and Gabbi ensured the food was safe for human consumption. In one word, her own consumption, since her human friend had practically developed immunity against Fae enchanted food, having lived here her whole life.
It must be the magic in the air, and Gabbi had already inhaled enough of it from birth to no longer be affected by its effects. Islinda wondered when she would get the same immunity, only to catch herself at the last minute.
Was she really going to live the rest of her days in the Fae realm? Not long ago, she had been intent on escaping and hiding away from the Fae princes in the human realm for the rest of her life.
But then, it wasn’t like she had a life in the human realm anymore. Not to mention, she was actually trying to build something here with Aldric. Maybe, just maybe, she and Aldric might spend the rest of their lives in the human realm, away from the fight and violence for the crown, away from the scheming and drama of the palace.
Islinda knew this dream of hers was impossible, not with Aldric so invested in taking the throne of Astaria. But then, anything could happen. The future was vast, and change was constant. All it took was one move, and everything else could fall into place.
As they settled into the restaurant, Islinda forced herself to push aside her worries and enjoy the meal. The restaurant was warm and cozy, the food vibrant and fresh, each dish a small masterpiece.
"Try this," Ginger suggested, handing Islinda a plate of an oddly cooked mushroom. "It’s safe, I promise."
Having learned that nothing was as it seemed in the Fae realm, Islinda took a tentative bite. Her eyes widened in surprise at the burst of flavor. "It’s good," she admitted, though her mind still lingered on the earlier embarrassment.
Gabbi nodded approvingly. "See? Your day isn’t entirely ruined yet."
Islinda paused and looked at Ginger. Really looked at her and her efforts to make her day special.
"Thank you, really, Ginger. Thank you for trying to make me feel better."
At once, Ginger beamed, crinkles forming at the corners of her eyes as she relished the praise. "That’s what I’m here for, to make your day hot and sassy! And besides, once the initial gossip dies down, they’ll find something else to talk about. The Fae have short attention spans."
"Yeah, you’re right. They will talk about something else soon," Islinda replied, feeling a little down as it dawned on her that the next news the whole Fae realm would likely talk about was the death duel between Aldric and Valeria. An event where Aldric would have to kill or be killed.
Islinda took another bite, the food feeling like a huge lump in her throat before sliding down into her queasy stomach. Her appetite had vanished.
Islinda didn’t show she had lost her interest in the food, else Ginger would start to question her and feel guilty, assuming she was not impressed with the meal. Instead, she looked around, her gaze noting the others in attendance, and that was when it dawned on her that someone was missing.
"Where is Kalamazoo?" Islinda questioned no one in particular, only for her gaze to fall on the two new guards that had accompanied her on her journey. "Where is he?"
"He stepped out for a bit," one of the guards answered curtly, intentionally omitting the information she wanted.
Islinda fiddled with her spoon as she began to think carefully. Kalamazoo was too serious about his job to leave her side for even a second. Something was up, Islinda could feel it.
Meanwhile...
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Mated To The Cruel Prince