Shade’s dark eyebrows arched upwards when he saw us. Saw me. “Are you wearing a dress?”
“Wanna switch?” I muttered before crossing my arms over the plain white fabric. “There wasn’t anything else to wear.”
“Of course there are only dresses in your closet,” our guide interrupted. “Women should not wear pants. It is indecent.” He cast me a befuddled look before motioning with his hand. “Now, please follow me.”
A culture where women were not allowed to wear what they wanted. Oh, joy. I blew out a sigh and stalked after him with Elaran and Shade next to me.
None of us said anything as we moved through the gleaming halls. Occasionally, we would meet other star elves who were heading in the same direction we were. They didn’t appear surprised to see us. Maybe that whole thing about often taking in wayward souls, as Queen Nimlithil had put it, had actually been the truth.
Before long, a vast dining room became visible in the distance. When we crossed into the room filled with long tables and cushioned chairs, I had to resist shielding my eyes.
All the furniture was made of white wood, and both the cushions and the tablecloths were of the same color. Candelabras and ornate decorations created from silver and white gems adorned the space. And then there were the elves. Hair colors spanned from dark silver to pure white and every single piece of garment in the room fit that color scheme as well.
I shook my head. “What in Nemanan’s name is their obsession with white and silver?”
Next to me, Shade’s mouth twitched into a quick lopsided smile but Elaran just continued scowling at the scene around us. Our guide kept his long face completely neutral as he ignored my comment and led us to the front of the room. Merry chatter hung over the hall.
Shade nudged an elbow in my arm and jerked his head up.
Craning my neck, I tipped my head back to see what it was. Whoa. I let out a low whistle. The dome that covered the banquet hall was made of glass. Not of the frosted kind that appeared to be present everywhere else, though. Here, it was completely see-through and glittering stars shone against the dark night outside the crystal ceiling. Okay, that was kind of cool.
The star elf escorting us came to a halt. I flicked my eyes over the area. A high table with room for only one was positioned by the wall in front of us and then all the other tables branched out from there. Our guide had stopped at the one closest to the high table.
“This will be your seat,” he said and motioned between Elaran and a white chair. After taking a quick step to the side in order to skip the seat right next to it, he patted the back of another chair. “And this is you.”
Shade took up position behind the indicated furniture just as the star elf turned to me.
“And you,” he began while rounding the table, “you will sit here.”
It was close to Elaran and Shade but not directly opposite either of them. Whatever seating arrangements these people had, it appeared as though there were some very specific rules behind it.
“Your table companions will arrive shortly.” And with that, the star elf escort with the long face twirled around and glided back through the room.
The three of us exchanged a look.
“What now?” I asked.
Elaran shrugged at me from across the table. “I don’t know.”
All around us, more star elves trickled in and took up position behind the remaining chairs. A well-dressed couple claimed the seats only a few strides away. Rippling giggles floated through the air as the female elf laughed at something her partner had said. I studied them. It wouldn’t be long before whoever was going to occupy the spots between us showed up as well.
“Did you meet Queen Nimlithil?” Shade asked, keeping his voice low. When he watched us both nod, he went on. “What did you tell her?”
“Only my name,” I said.
The assassin gave me a quick nod. “Same. Elaran?”
“My name.” He furrowed his brows. “And where I’m from.”
A whole group of star elves in beautiful dresses and suits were rapidly making their way towards us.
Shade flicked his gaze between us. “Good. Try to keep it that way.”
We didn’t have time to reply because our table companions had reached us, so we settled for a brief nod.
“You must be Mother’s special guests,” said a gorgeous elf with loose curls cascading around her, while she glided towards the chair next to Elaran.
Mother? Wait. Did that mean...?
“Yes, they are, Princess Illeasia,” a familiar voice said. “I met them all earlier this afternoon.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly as Captain Hadraeth stopped behind the chair next to mine. The princess behind the chair opposite him fired off a sparkling smile.
“It was a rhetorical question, Hadraeth.” She winked at the now embarrassed-looking guard. “Who else would they be?”
“Of course, Princess Illeasia,” he said and dipped his head. “Forgive me.”
While she and the Guard Captain had stated the obvious, I had taken the time to study her more closely. Yep. There was no question about it. This was Queen Nimlithil’s daughter. In terms of looks, they were almost identical with the same shade of silvery white hair, pale violet eyes, and elegant features. But there was one difference.
Where the queen had exuded power with every graceful step, this princess emitted something else. It took another few seconds before I realized what it was. Life. Her whole being practically sparkled with the joy of living.
“I think it was a considerate clarification,” another female elf said as she planted herself by the empty chair between Elaran and Shade. “Captain Hadraeth is always so kind.”
“Yes, of course you’re right, Nelyssae,” Princess Illeasia said before turning her head and sending an apologetic smile in the captain’s direction. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
Nelyssae beamed at him but the Captain of the Guards appeared to only have eyes for the princess. When she didn’t receive the reaction she had hoped for, Nelyssae flicked her straight white hair back behind her shoulder. Her pale violet eyes settled on me.
“Oh, by the Stars,” she exclaimed and put a hand over her full lips. “Did no one help you dress for this banquet?”
I glanced between my perfectly average body in the plain dress and her gem- and silver-decorated gown and the luscious figure it accentuated.
“Uhm...” I so eloquently replied while swatting at the insecurity sneaking up behind me.
“Poor thing.” Nelyssae ran a delicate hand over the gleaming jewelry around her neck. “No wonder you’re so badly dressed. I promise, we will get someone to help you next time.” She scrunched up her manicured eyebrows while scrutinizing the rest of my body. “And to find some makeup to cover those awful bruises.”
Not sure whether to thank her or stab her, I ended up settling for a frown. When a few other elven ladies giggled further down the table, I couldn’t help thinking that it was me they were laughing about.
“I think the dress is rather elegant in its simplicity,” a male elf said as he claimed the last remaining seat. The one on my other side. He turned to me. “Hello. I am Niadhir.”
“The Oncoming Storm,” I replied automatically.
His pale violet eyes filled with confusion. “Pardon?”
“My name. It’s the Oncoming Storm.”
A quite unladylike snort sounded from Nelyssae before she covered her mouth with the back of her hand and broke into giggles. Anger pulsated through my body. It was only by sheer force of will that I kept the black out of my eyes.
“Lords and ladies!” a voice called from somewhere down the room before I could say something highly inappropriate to the rude lady. “Queen Nimlithil.”
Silence fell over the vast hall as the queen of the star elves glided through the room. The train of her bejeweled dress swooshed as it trailed behind her on the floor. When she reached the carved chair by the high table, she lifted an elegant hand and smiled
at the gathered elves.
“Welcome, my friends,” she said, “to another beautiful evening. We have three guests of honor here today. Let us show them the grace and splendor that is Starhaven.” She swept her arms outwards. “Please be seated.”
Chairs scraped and clothes rustled as the entire banquet hall took their seats. Shade, Elaran, and I exchanged a glance. Whatever we were in for, we had to keep it together. Anxiety bubbled through me. Social gatherings weren’t exactly my forte and now I was seated with both the Princess of Tkeister and the Captain of the Guard. Slipping up now would be terrible for us.
After dropping into the chair, I studied the array of utensils in front of me. I didn’t even know what I was supposed to do with half of them. Wasn’t one fork and knife enough to eat with? When I raised my eyes, I found Lady Nelyssae giving me a smile as beautiful as it was malicious. And then there was her. Yep. This was definitely going to be an interesting dinner.
9.
Heavenly scents drifted across the room. I turned my head to find smartly-dressed elves weaving through the tables while carrying large silver trays. They started by placing a plate in front of Queen Nimlithil and once she had given them a nod of approval, they continued down the tables.
I squinted suspiciously at the small silver plate being placed before me. There was salad on there, of that much I was sure, and also something that looked like cheese. Fried cheese. After another brief glance over the numerous utensils around the dish, I concluded that I still had no idea which ones to use so I just picked up a random fork from somewhere in the middle.
“What are you doing?” Lady Nelyssae hissed.
Stopping with the fork hovering halfway to the strange cheese, I frowned at her. “Eating?”
“You don’t eat until everyone at the table has received their food.”
“What in Nemanan’s name does their food have to do with mine?”
On my left, Captain Hadraeth harrumphed. “You have no manners. First when greeting Queen Nimlithil, and now this.”
Before I could retort, the elf to my right, Niadhir, placed a hand on my arm and supplied an answer to my original question. “It is a gesture of politeness and a show of respect to wait for everyone before you begin your meal.”
Of course. Politeness and respect, my two greatest strengths. It took considerable effort to keep the sarcasm from my voice when I replied.
“Right. Obviously.”
Returning my fork to the white tablecloth, I waited for everyone else to receive their food as well. Shade cast me an amused look. He just had time to see the scowl I directed at him in reply before Lady Nelyssae reclaimed his attention with a question. On the white-haired lady’s other side, Elaran and Princess Illeasia were deep in discussion. I flicked my gaze between the two people flanking me.
To my left, a serious-looking guard in immaculate armor and on the other side, a scholarly-looking elf in a crisp white suit with his hair tied back by a silver ring. Out of the two, the one on my right seemed like the easiest interrogation target. I turned to Niadhir.
“Queen Nimlithil said that she often takes in what she called wayward souls,” I said. “Have you met any of them?”
“Oh, of course,” Niadhir replied. “I have met all of them.”
Lifting a hand, I motioned at the room full of elves. “Where are they now? There are only star elves in here as far as I can tell.”
“They have left. As they all do, when they are ready. Queen Nimlithil helps them find their purpose in life and once they have, they return to their homes to fulfill it.” He gave me a kind smile. “What about you? What is your purpose in life?”
A cold fist gripped my heart, squeezing out more blood from the wounds in it. When we’d been captured by these star elves, my mind had snapped into survival mode and the pain bleeding from my heart had receded to a muted dripping. If nothing else, getting ambushed and kidnapped had been a great distraction from the burning anguish inside my soul. But now it was back.
“I, uhm...” I began.
Fortunately, I was saved from having to reply because everyone at our table had at last received their food. Princess Illeasia lifted her glass goblet.
“To the beauty and grace of the stars,” she said.
“To the beauty and grace of the stars,” the rest of the table echoed while raising their own glasses.
Elaran, Shade, and I exchanged a look but lifted our crystal goblets as well. The pale liquid inside tasted sweet and flowery. It had to be some kind of wine. After returning the glass to the table, I picked up a random fork from the middle of the row next to my plate and stabbed at the fried cheese.
Giggling rang out from across the table. I flicked my eyes up to find Nelyssae covering her lips with the back of her hand again. Scowling, I continued my attack on the piece of cheese. More snickering rose from Nelyssae.
“What?” I demanded, slamming the fork back on the table.
All the star elves around me drew back a little in surprise at my violent outburst. Niadhir recovered first and placed a hand on my arm again.
“That is not the right fork for this course.” He pointed at the fork and knife at the very end of the row. “As a rule, you start here and then work your way in.”
Obviously. Because gods forbid we got to the point of the meal where we actually ate something. No, first we had to wait for everyone else to get their food and then we had to catalogue every single piece of cutlery on the table to make sure we used the almost identical utensils in the right order. Why had that not been my first conclusion?
However, instead of informing my table companions about that, I plastered a smile on my face and turned to Niadhir. “Thanks.”
The rest of the banquet continued in much the same fashion. Me trying to figure out what was on my plate and how I was supposed to eat it without making a fool of myself, while Nelyssae and her friends down the table snickered behind their jewel-bedecked hands. When she wasn’t busy making me feel like an uninvited goat, Nelyssae was chirping and giggling in Shade’s ear.
The Master Assassin had a look of calm composure on his face as he replied to her queries with skillfully vague answers. Elaran, on the other hand, seemed to actually enjoy himself. At the edge of the table, he and Princess Illeasia spent most of the night with their heads together, discussing one thing or another. My eyebrows shot up when I realized that the grumpy elf had even smiled several times.
Hadraeth said nothing during the whole dinner. He only switched between gazing at the princess and glaring at Elaran and then back again. Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Niadhir.
“So, do you choose your leaders too then?” I asked.
I had spent the night trying to learn as much as I could about the star elves. If we were going to escape, we’d need every advantage. But my interrogation had been less successful than I expected because most of Niadhir’s answers had been rather vague. I wondered if it was due to my own incredibly ambiguous replies to his questions.
“Don’t be daft,” Lady Nelyssae cut in from across the table. “The queen’s eldest daughter inherits the crown. As it should be.”
“Obviously,” I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice. “Because it’s not like I’ve visited four different nations, all with their own different way of choosing the next leader.” I flashed her an insincere smile. “But of course your way is the only logical way.”
Around me, the table fell silent. Glasses and utensils clinked from further away while the star elves next to me tried to figure out if I was being ironic or not. From my tone of voice I thought that had been obvious, but apparently these people didn’t have sarcasm ingrained in their whole being the way I had. However, before they could figure it out, Queen Nimlithil rose from her chair.
Furniture scraped against the polished floor as the rest of the banquet hall hurried to do the same. In her hand, the queen held a small glass. It looked almost like a simple shot glass but with more elegant curves. I squinted down at the ident
ical one in front of my plate.
A servant had appeared and placed it there a few minutes ago but since no one else had touched- theirs, I hadn’t either. Now, everyone picked it up and raised it in the direction of their queen. After one last suspicious glance at it, I did the same. When the clear liquid moved it almost looked like a faint shimmer of color swirled inside it.
“My friends, thank you for another wonderful evening.” Queen Nimlithil raised her glass a little further. “To the beauty and grace of the stars.”
“To the beauty and grace of the stars,” the whole room replied before tipping their glass to their lips.
Shrugging, I downed mine as well. A surprisingly refreshing taste exploded in my mouth. It was actually rather good and a perfect way to end the meal, even though the aftertaste was a bit strange.
“Would you like to accompany me on an evening stroll?” Niadhir asked and held out his arm.
“Oh, uhm...” I began and cast a quick glance at Shade and Elaran.
From the look of it, the assassin was being asked something similar by Nelyssae. As was Elaran by the princess.
“Sure,” I finished.
That would give me another chance to get information out of him. On my other side, Captain Hadraeth threw one last glare at the auburn-haired wood elf taking the princess’ arm before stalking off across the room. I wondered what his deal was.
From across the table, Shade locked eyes with me. “Elaran,” he said in a light and conversational tone before taking the arm of Nelyssae and strolling away.
The elf in question stared in confusion at the assassin’s retreating back but I had understood the message and for now, that was enough. Taking Niadhir’s offered arm, we left the befuddled wood elf and the sparkling princess behind.
Being escorted in this way was not something I particularly enjoyed because it made me feel weak and helpless. Like someone who needed to be protected. And I had never, in my whole life, been a person who needed someone else to defend me. I was the one other people needed protection from.
But for now, I had to follow their customs if I was to get the information I needed. Burying the irritation deep inside me, I put on my best friendly face and turned to Niadhir. It was time for some more interrogation.
A Storm of Glass and Stars (The Oncoming Storm Book 4) Page 6