Chapter 57 The Feast begins 2

Chapter 57: Chapter 57 The Feast begins 2

Talia’s POV

I said nothing.

Kaelen’s hand tightened on mine. "Keep walking," he murmured.

I nodded and kept walking.

Behind me, I heard Celeste scream. "This is not over, Talia! Do you hear me? Not over!"

But I did not look back.

When we stepped into the hall, my breath caught. The main hall was totally transformed.

The torches had been lit, and their flames cast golden light across the walls. The chandeliers sparkled, throwing rainbows across the crowd, and long tables had been set up, and they were covered in white cloths and lined with plates and cups and silverware.

Dozens and even hundreds of wolves filled the hall. They laughed and talked and pointed at the decorations, at each other, and some pointed at me.

I kept my head high and my eyes straight ahead.

Kaelen came from behind, and led me to the front of the hall, where a long table sat on a raised platform, and Aldric sat at the center, with his gray hair shining in the firelight.

There was an empty seat next to Kaelen’s seat for me. And I sat down as Kaelen pulled out the chair, before he sat beside me.

Soon, the feast began.

Servants brought out trays of food, filled with roasted meat, steaming vegetables, fresh bread, bowls of soup, fancy pots of rice, plates of cheese and baskets of fruit I had never seen before.

Wolves filled their plates and raised their cups, as toasts were made to the Shadowfang Pack, to Alpha Kaelen, and to the Luna, which was me.

I lifted my cup and drank the wine. It was sweet, but it burned my throat. Then I set the cup down and looked around the room.

Vivienne was sitting at a table near the back, and Celeste was beside her, with her face that was still red, and her eyes that were still burning with hate.

Their eyes were fixed on me, and Vivienne was smiling her evil smile that did not reach her eyes, while Celeste was glaring dangerously at me. But still, I did not look away.

Then, past them, near one of the side doors, I saw her.

Serena.

She was standing alone, dressed in a deep crimson gown that made her look like she belonged at the center of the room instead of the edge of it. Her hair was swept back, and her face was calm.

She was not talking to anyone. She was not laughing. She was not dancing.

She was watching me.

And when our eyes met, she did not look away. She held my gaze the way someone holds a knife—calmly, and like she had all the time in the world.

Then she smiled. Slowly. Like we shared a secret I did not know yet.

My stomach tightened.

I did not know why she was watching me. I did not know if she knew about Vivienne’s plan, or if she had one of her own, or if she was just waiting to see me fail.

I did not know anything at all.

And not knowing was worse than being sure.

I turned my eyes away and looked at the table in front of me. When I glanced back, a minute later, she was gone—swallowed up by the crowd, or by the shadows, or by whatever corner of the hall she had decided to hide in.

I did not see her for the rest of the meal.

But I felt her. The way you feel a draft in a warm room. The way you feel a step behind you, even when you know no one is there.

Kaelen leaned toward me, and his shoulder brushed mine. "Do not let them see you sweat," he murmured.

"I am not sweating," I said.

"But your hands are shaking," he replied.

I pressed them flat against my thighs. "Better?"

"No." He turned back to his food. "But it will have to do."

I looked at the table, at the food I could not eat, and at the cup I could not drink from without my stomach turning.

I felt like prey in a room of hunters.

Every wolf here was watching me, waiting for me to fail, and waiting for me to cry or run or break. But I would not give them the satisfaction.

The meal continued, as wolves laughed and talked and drank. Toasts were made, and stories were told. But I did not hear any of them, as my eyes kept drifting to Vivienne and Celeste.

They were watching me too, whispering to each other, and obviously planning something. Then I thought about Piper’s warning: ’She will try to destroy you.’

I thought about Nora’s cousin Elara, who had supernatural hearing, and was supposed to help us find out what Vivienne was planning.

But Nora had not heard from Elara yet, and I had not seen Nora or Piper since we got here, so we were going in blind.

I did not know what Vivienne was going to do, when she would do it, or how she would carry out her plan. But I knew she would try, and I would be ready.

Kaelen’s hand brushed mine under the table.

"Eat," he said.

"I am not hungry," I answered.

"You need your strength," he pressed on.

I looked at him, but his gray eyes were fixed on the crowd, and his face was cold. But his hand was warm.

I picked up my fork and took a bite of bread. It did not taste as sweet as the one in Blackmoor Valley, but I swallowed anyway.

"The celebration will last for hours," Kaelen said. "Do not wander off, do not talk to anyone you do not trust, and most importantly, do not drink anything that has not been poured in front of you."

I stared at him. "You sound like you are preparing for battle."

"I am." He turned to look at me, and his gray eyes met mine. "So are you."

The feast continued, and wolves approached the table to pay their respects. Some bowed to Aldric, some nodded to Kaelen, and some looked at me with curiosity or contempt or pity.

I smiled when I needed to, I nodded when I needed to, and I spoke only when I was spoken to, and needed to give an important response.

But I did not eat anymore food, I did not drink anymore drinks. I just watched, and waited.

Vivienne and Celeste had not moved from their table. They were watching me too, and waiting for what, I did not know.

But I would find out soon.

I touched my necklace where my dress was covering it and made a promise to myself.

I would not break. I would not run. I would not let them win, and I would survive this night.

I had to.