Chapter 31: Please Don’t Eat Me (I’m Not Tasty)
Chapter 31: Please Don’t Eat Me (I’m Not Tasty)
By the time dinner came around, I had successfully chewed half my fingernails off and convinced myself of three different possible ways Zorathys might kill me before dessert.
Maybe he’d use claws.
Maybe he’d use magic — just snap his hands and I’d disappear like I never existed at all.
Or maybe he’d just look at me too hard and my soul would leave my body out of pure intimidation.
All lovely options.
I wrapped my cloak tighter around myself and chose something modest to wear for dinner — a slate-grey dress, simple cut, sleeves that didn’t try to be dramatic. If I was going to die tonight, I might as well be buried in something that didn’t make my ancestors faint.
The dress wasn’t my style; this screamed more of the nuns in my past life, but I didn’t feel stylish at all because I was going to die, after all.
While I dressed, I waited to see if Rin or even Vaelory would show up. Rin was my new personal maid so she was bound to show up, right? But... she didn’t.
When I was done dressing, I made my way to the dining hall.
I noticed it during the tour, but the castle was empty. Or maybe they were hiding? I didn’t know.
No one led me to the dining hall. Marrok didn’t show up and I wasn’t surprised though; he was a butler after all, but maybe a guard or someone else could show up? At least if there was someone with me, then it wouldn’t feel like I was walking into my death... a last, lonely walk to my death.
The dining hall still looked as beautiful as it was when I had first seen it. The long table loomed in its black marble sheen.
Zorathys sat at the head as if he owned not just the seat but the shadows themselves. He looked awake — unnervingly so — hair loose over his shoulders, every line of him composed and calm in a way that made my scalp crawl. He watched me with those slow, ruby eyes and I realized with a jolt that he’d been watching the room, not the door, not me — just the room — and shifted his gaze to me with faint curiosity as I crossed the hall.
I tried to pick the farthest, least dramatic seat — the one that said: "I am inconsequential; please ignore me." I slid into it as quietly as my dress would allow.
He frowned when he saw me sitting there. "Why are you sitting there?" he asked.
"Because I like it," I said, lying through my teeth.
It was obvious my lies didn’t sound as believable as I hoped. One moment I was nine chairs away; the next, I was sitting next to Zorathys.
My heart slammed so hard it could have cracked a goblet. The table remained empty around us except for that glass of water. Nothing else moved.
Zorathys opened his mouth to speak, and before he could even get the words out, I spoke.
"I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to go into your room! I didn’t know! I’m sorry, I— I know you kill people who disturb your sleep! I would never—please don’t kill me! I still have many things to do. I haven’t yet given my father hell for sending me here. I haven’t gotten to enjoy the delicacies of the world..."
My eyes were squeezed shut as if I could keep the world from seeing my face. My knees bounced under the table. My palms went clammy.
I sneaked a look at Zorathys, who stared with a frown on his face, and I quickly shut my eyes again, clasping my hands together in prayer.
"Better still, just kill me but make it quick. Just do it so I disappear instantly. I swear I’ll cooperate with you. I’ll disappear just like that. Just snap your fingers and I’ll disappear," I told him, then remembered that the table was empty except for a glass of water. "Don’t... don’t eat me, please. I swear, please don’t eat me. I wouldn’t taste good at all. I don’t even taste good. I taste like stale bread. It’s not delicious at all and you’d destroy your taste buds if you eat me. Just kill me quick..."
"Open your eyes," Zorathys told me calmly.
"I’d rather not," I said without looking. "I prefer to be blind if I’m being killed. I think that’s best. Please... please just be fast about it."
"Open your eyes."
"No."
"Open them, Firefly."
I peeled one eyelid open — slowly, in case he changed his mind — and when I saw the coast was clear, I opened the other one, placing my clasped hands on the table.
Zorathys stared at me softly.
He leaned forward. "Who told you I would kill you for entering my room?"
My throat bobbed as I swallowed audibly. "Marrok, Versha, and Rin." The names spilled out like a bad list of suspects. "They said if you get into the King’s room while he naps, he kills you. They said it like it’s a rule. They said it had happened before."
He watched me, expression unreadable. "And they told you that it applies to you too?" he asked.
I frowned. Was he okay? Of course it would apply to me too. They said everyone, and I’m part of everyone.
"Yes," I told him with a nod.
Then, almost in the same breath as the words left my mouth, he snapped his fingers.
A ripple of darkness spread across the room like spilled ink. Shadows twisted at the edge of my vision and then—
A guard formed.
Literally formed... from the shadows. I had no idea why I was even surprised.
A tall figure shaped like a guard, but entirely made of darkness, holding a spear that looked like it had been carved from night.
I yelped and pressed myself deeper into my chair.
The shadow guard bowed.
"My King."
Zorathys didn’t look at him. His gaze stayed glued to me.
"Get me Marrok, Versha, and Rin. Immediately."
The guard vanished — gone in less than a heartbeat.
I sat frozen, my confusion swirling with dread, and maybe a bit of fear for the trio who had deeply terrified me earlier.
Seconds — mere seconds — later, the dining hall doors opened.
Marrok entered first, his face pale. Versha followed, sweat beading at her temple. Rin came last, eyes wide and darting everywhere like she expected imminent doom.
They stepped inside with slow, measured steps, their heads bowed. They looked... frightened.
Zorathys’ expression had shifted completely now. Gone was the sleepy, lazy demeanor. Gone was the gentle amusement.
What replaced it was cold, sharp, and — dare I say...lethal.
His voice was cold as he spoke. "Who told my fiancée that she would be dead if she entered my room?"