Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 156210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 781(@200wpm)___ 625(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 781(@200wpm)___ 625(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
“Your shadow is exquisite in this light,” he says.
Chapter 29
Luke
Ididn’t expect Anatole to approach me, and I certainly didn’t anticipate any compliments either. But my guard is up, because Vinia was sweet as a bag of Twizzlers too, and she literally sent me to my death. I am not falling for that kind of shit again. I now trust Kyran’s opinion about that snake pit of a family, and I’m determined to keep Anatole at arm’s length.
That might prove difficult, because he’s hiding behind lies and the facade of a smile, which I can’t openly dismiss for the same reasons you can’t tell the passive-aggressive head cheerleader you’re seeing right through her frenemy act. If high school taught me anything, it was to keep my cards close, and I intend to take full advantage of those lessons.
As much as I want to hate Anatole though, I can’t deny his beauty. For all I know, it’s part of his predator camouflage. His pale face looks as if he’s doing that Korean skin care routine with seven steps and has never missed a day in his life. His long, silvery blond hair could give Legolas a run for his money and land Anatole a L’Oréal commercial. He’s wearing his usual midnight blue, and his velvet jacket has skulls embroidered on it with silvery thread. The pattern would have been a sinister giveaway for a villain if the aesthetic of every royal at the Nocturne Court wasn’t flamboyantly gothic with a touch of marine life.
I’ve never paid much attention to my shadow, but when Anatole points it out, I glance to the ground, and seeing it next to his sends a shiver down my back. I don’t have to be a shadow wielder to see that the darkness behind me is like black coffee, when everyone else’s appears milky in comparison.
I guess physics doesn’t work here the same way it does in my world. Which reminds me I was supposed to ask Kyran why the moon waxes and wanes if there’s no sun here, but that can wait.
“Um… thank you?” I finally say to Anatole. “Yours is… nice too?” Okay, I’m a little drunk and unsure what the protocol is here. Is this like teens comparing each other’s dick sizes? Thumbs? The denseness of that first mustache?
Anatole’s mouth quirks as he meets my eyes with an intensely blue gaze. It’s like being pinpointed by two sapphire lenses, and I can’t help the tingle at the back of my neck. Am I flattered? Intimidated by a threat my brain doesn’t yet comprehend?
“You’re not at all what I expected,” Anatole says before I can wrap my mind around the way I feel. “When I go looking for a Companion of my own, they will have a lot to live up to.”
He’s lying, of course he is, but I still feel my cheeks flush. It’s most likely the cherin. I don’t think Anatole’s stupid enough to be making a move on me when Kyran is right across the square, but maybe my shadow really is such a catch and he can’t help himself? Or maybe he’s just the god of chaos trying to sow discord in the Realm.
“What did you expect?” I ask, curious about the other Companions. Which again reminds me I should be looking for Carol, but maybe Anatole can provide information about her whereabouts.
“Someone… more frightened maybe? Humans tend to be skittish for a while after being taken. I was impressed by your quick thinking at my sister’s execution.”
My heart stops. He wants to kill me.
“I… Kyranis needed the—”
Anatole shakes his head. “Please, Luke, don’t misunderstand me. It is a true compliment. Our prince was in mortal danger, and my sister was a traitor. She kept secrets right under our noses and served some wicked agenda of her own. I don’t want any bad blood between us because of the way her schemes ended.”
“Oh… okay,” I say awkwardly, but he’s right there to save the conversation.
“Are you excited for the hunt next week? I, for one, cannot wait. It’s not often all us royals have equal chances to get our hands on the Stag of Sunrise. Even Lady Guinevere is allowed to come, since the event is held in the royal forest, not at the court. The prize is so exciting, and yet a mystery.”
I frown. “You mean… the venison?” Has he never had deer meat? To be fair, I only tried it when Mom’s hunter friend brought us some. We ate it for every meal for weeks until I vowed to never have it again.
Then again, Kyran could persuade me if he sat me in his lap and fed it to me with his fingers—
I stop daydreaming when I realize I’m salivating, but Anatole doesn’t seem to notice.
“Oh, Luke! You’re so funny!” He stills, realizing my question was genuine. “Has Prince Kyranis not explained what’s at stake?” He makes a pause, so I get to question why my promised might be keeping something from me, but then speaks up before his victim can gather their thoughts. “The Stag of Sunrise is a magical beast, rare and precious. They’re drawn to human blood and tend to appear in the area when someone takes a new Dark Companion. Their meat is flavorful and tender, but the real prize is the power burning deep inside. The one who hunts the stag down is granted a mysterious gift of shadowcraft.