Chapter 3: Supper with a Monster

Elysia hesitated at the entrance of the grand dining hall, her fingers curling into the fabric of her gown. The silence in the room was suffocating, broken only by the slow crackle of the blue-flamed torches lining the walls.

At the far end of the long table, Kael sat, his silver hair catching the eerie light. He wasn’t eating. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, watching her with an unreadable expression. His dark eyes, so sharp and piercing, seemed to strip away every layer of her defenses.

The air felt too thick, her pulse too loud.

Still, she forced herself forward.

As she approached, she took in more details about him—the way his posture was relaxed yet exuded authority, the slight tension in his jaw, the way his fingers rested against the carved armrest as if restraining himself from something.

"You are late," Kael said, his voice smooth but carrying an edge of something dangerous.

Elysia stopped a few feet from the table, ignoring the chair that had been pulled out for her. "You never said I had to be on time."

A flicker of something crossed his face—amusement, perhaps—but it was gone before she could be sure.

"You must be hungry," he said instead, gesturing toward the table.

The food spread before her was unlike anything she had ever seen. Roasted meats glazed with golden honey, fruits that shimmered as if dipped in moonlight, and goblets filled with an inky liquid that gave off a faint glow. It was all beautifully arranged, but something about it made her uneasy.

"Why am I here?" she asked, her voice firm. "You bought me, but you haven’t demanded anything from me. What do you want?"

Kael's gaze darkened, and for a moment, he said nothing. Then, slowly, he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.

"You assume I want something from you," he murmured.

"Don’t you?"

A small, humorless smile curved his lips. "Not in the way you think."

Her heart pounded against her ribs. "Then explain it to me."

Kael exhaled softly, as if weighing his words. "You are here because I wished it. And because I have no intention of allowing others to have you."

His voice was calm, but there was something possessive in his words that sent a shiver down her spine.

She clenched her fists. "I am not an object."

"I know."

The quiet sincerity in his voice startled her.

Before she could respond, the doors opened again, and Lady Varya entered, carrying a silver tray with a delicate porcelain cup. She approached Kael and set it before him.

"My lord," she said, inclining her head slightly before turning to Elysia. "You should eat."

Elysia hesitated, glancing between them. Kael reached for the cup but didn’t drink from it immediately. Instead, he stared at the dark liquid within, a flicker of something unreadable in his expression.

"Is the food safe?" she asked, unable to hide her suspicion.

Lady Varya gave her a look of mild amusement. "If he wanted to harm you, he wouldn’t need poison."

Elysia stiffened. She didn’t doubt that.

Kael took a slow sip from his cup before setting it down. "You may eat if you wish. Or not."

There was no command in his voice. No force. Just quiet patience.

That unnerved her more than anything.

Elysia hesitated before finally sitting down. She picked up a piece of fruit, examining it closely before taking a cautious bite. The taste exploded on her tongue—sweet and rich, unlike anything she had ever eaten.

She caught Kael watching her.

"You’re different," she said suddenly, setting the fruit down. "The others… they treat humans like cattle. But you don’t."

His expression didn’t change. "And what do you make of that?"

"I don’t know yet."

A ghost of a smile crossed his lips, as if she had amused him somehow. "Then keep watching, little flame. You may be surprised by what you find."

She should have been afraid of that.

But instead, an unsettling curiosity stirred within her.

Because beneath his cold exterior, beneath the terrifying reputation—Kael didn’t seem heartless at all.

And that was the most dangerous thing of all.

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