Stone of Destiny(46)

There was a light knock and Liam stuck his head in the doorway. “Ready to head down?” he asked. I could see Samantha just over his shoulder.

Ethan glanced at me and gestured for me to go first with his chin. “Yep, this is the longest I’ve gone without eating since we got here,” he said.

“Just a warning, when we go home, food is going to taste like sawdust compared to the food here,” I said.

Liam led all of us to the large gathering hall. The walls were covered in blue fabric, embroidered with flowering trees and twisting vines. Fey lights were suspended high above, giving the room a comfortable glow.

Men and women stood around in groups, talking and laughing. In their hands were chalices filled with sparkling gold wine.

An unusually long table filled one side of the room. Ten high back chairs were lined up on either side, and Saoirse sat at the head of the table.

When she saw us, her smile was breathtaking. I realized how long I’d spent in Saoirse’s presence today without becoming baffled just from looking at her. Had I grown immune to her charm? Or maybe she had toned it down for a while. Either way, I was glad. The memory of being enraptured was not one I liked to think about.

We ate roasted meat and vegetables followed by fruit and scones with cream. Every bite was so delicious I was tempted to lick my fingers clean. Conversation took place all around us, but mostly Samantha, Liam, Ethan and I just listened as men told stories and women laughed. As we ate our dessert, a trio in the corner began playing music. One played a flute like Aodhan carried with him, one a drum and one played fiddle.

Couples left the table to dance. They moved with a fluid grace that no human could ever accomplish.

“Would you care to dance?” Saoirse asked us.

My eyes widened and I shook my head. I could dance a little, but no way was I going out there. Even a highly trained ballerina would look clumsy among the Danaan.

Saoirse rose and bid us goodnight before gracefully joining the dancers.

We went back up to the guest quarters in silence. Anxious energy had been building inside me all day and I wished I could go for a run to work some of it off.

I fell back onto one of the couches and covered my face with my arms. I felt Ethan sit beside me and nudge me with his elbow. I opened one eye and he gave me a curious look.

“Are you getting tired?” he asked.

I groaned. “No, not at all. That’s the problem,” I said. “I’m a nervous wreck.”

Liam and Samantha took seats on the other couches. Liam leaned back and ran his hands through his hair.

Samantha jumped up suddenly. “He’s here,” she said, her voice just above a whisper. She turned her head and looked at me, eyes wide. “Ciarán’s here.”

I started to say something, but she took off down the hallway. Liam chuckled and sat up.

“I was just thinking about how Aodhan and Deaghlan are faring,” he said.

“Oh man,” I said. “It must be a fiasco.”

“I don’t get Deaghlan. I know he’s supposed to be wicked powerful and everything, but he’s such a tool,” Ethan said.

Liam snickered. “I guess living for a millennium turned him that way. According to Aodhan, he was still admirable when he first met him, about four hundred years ago.”

“Hard to believe,” I said. “Can we head over to see what’s going on first thing tomorrow?”

“Absolutely,” Liam said. “Sitting here isn’t doing us any good.”

He stood and stretched. “I’ll be off to bed, then.”

Ethan sighed, rubbing a hand along his jaw. Once Liam was gone, he slid a look at me. “I wouldn’t mind hearing about those fantasies of yours now,” he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Laughing, I gave him a light shove. “I told you that’s not going to happen.”

He pushed off the couch, grabbing my hand. Before I could protest, he pulled me to my feet.

“We’ll see,” he said, ushering me toward our room. Our room?

Kicking the door shut, he clasped my cheeks. His hands were warm and smooth but they still sent a shiver through me. He stared down at me intently, and my breath caught.

He lowered his head, kissing me softly. I gasped at the sensations that rippled through me and his hands slid down to my hips, pulling me toward him. Without realizing it, we ended up at the foot of the bed. I pulled back a little and dragged in a breath.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, resting his forehead against mine.

I cleared my throat. “Nothing,” I said and tried to smile.

He moved his hands to my lower back and turned us so that when he sat down I was on his lap. “I think I know what this is about.”