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)
Two servants are lighting lanterns, but the moon itself illuminates the space in a way strangely reminiscent of sunshine, despite being noticeably dimmer. I drift to the window for a better view of the ocean.
This time it’s Kyranis who follows me as the servants set the table behind us.
While the moon is pure serenity, the waves far below us are volatile as if they were trying to reach us with their green-black mouths made of seafoam. A large fish jumps into the air every now and then, teasing the dark birds flying above the water.
But then a massive shape catches my eye. A dark, snake-like shadow looms below the surface, cutting through the sea at an alarming speed.
“What is that?”
“A leviathan,” Kyranis tells me as his chest presses to my back, and his hands settle on my hips. The monster pushes its head above the unruly waves before coiling its massive form around a jagged rock. I imagine this beast wrapping itself around a fishing boat and crushing it to pieces, but the prince is there to reassure me. “You’re safe at my side.”
“I’m guessing the beach isn’t exactly a place to go for a swim?” I ask as one of the birds catches a fish. The moment it sits on a rock to swallow its catch, a tentacle bursts out of the water, grabs it, and pulls it under the waves.
Yep. I’m definitely not going swimming there.
Kyranis chuckles as his hand cups my chin. “Not without preparation. Those are treacherous seas, but my people have mastered them over millennia. Most of the things we eat here come from the ocean,” he says and spins me around to face a lush spread of unfamiliar foods. Arranged on two tiered stands are small yet beautifully presented treats, but I can also see a selection of bottles and herbs, as well as a basket of fruit.
He’s obviously trying to entice me, to make me drop my guard so I do what he wants. I keep that at the back of my mind, but the scent coming from a steaming bowl shaped like a seashell loosens my resolve to hate him. The smell reminds me of cherries and cream.
The rumble in my stomach is as embarrassing as it is telling. I haven’t eaten since before work, hours and hours ago.
“Can I try some?” I ask awkwardly, because eating is the reason for our presence here, yet I still feel like I should be asking permission.
The same servant who approached us downstairs steps forward, ready to fulfill my every wish, but Kyranis chases him off with a wave of his hand. “Leave us.”
“This is… unorthodox,” Reiner mutters, but another glare from Kyranis sends him and a serving girl out of the door. As it shuts, we are on our own again, and my heart beats faster when Kyranis pulls away one of the carved chairs, offering it to me.
“Of course you can eat whatever you wish.”
As enticing as his attention is, I can’t help but feel not like a lover he is courting, a man he wants to marry, but like a pet, a feral cat he plucked out of the gutter and now wants to treat because it’s entertaining to him.
Still, I will indulge the prince, because I need to play my own game if I am to get out of here.
“What is this… soup?” I ask, grabbing the ladle resting inside an elegant bowl, as having something warm is my priority. After a moment of hesitation, I pour some of the burgundy liquid into his cup first, because I’m not a tactless animal.
“Vanasme. Made with fruit from my orchard,” Kyranis tells me, sitting right next to me, even though there’s more than enough space around the table. He picks up a small jug shaped like a bird and pours thick black goo into my cup. He then picks up a silver spoon and fills it with the soup. I don’t dare move when he brings it to my lips. “Taste it.”
I hesitate for only a moment, because he wouldn’t poison me after putting so much effort into bringing me here. Our eyes meet over the spoon as I take it into my mouth. There’s something illicit about being fed by him, and I heat up.
The pudding-like soup is sweet, milky, and a bit tangy. In fact, its flavor does remind me of cherries, but I never had a warm compote like this, especially not with black… cream? Is it delicious? Hell yes. Now I can’t wait to try more of the food like the greedy peasant I am.
My diet is usually comprised of chicken nuggets, sandwiches, with a tomato thrown in from time to time so I don’t die of malnutrition, but that’s because I’m not a good cook, and I can’t afford much. One year, right after I left school and attempted to move out of Mom’s place, I decided to save money by only eating rice with spices. The doctor who later diagnosed me with scurvy almost laughed me out of his office, but I’ve gotten better and learned my lesson. Too bad it involved moving back in with my mother.