Chapter 15: The Dinner Party Trap

The banquet hall was still echoing with the ghost of Abel’s neck snap. The air tasted like iron and expensive perfume. If the previous chapter had been a ‘summit,’ this one was a funeral where the corpse hadn't even been dragged out yet. Kaelen didn't even blink. He just wiped a speck of blood off his cuff like he’d spilled a bit of espresso. "Service," he snapped, his voice cool as a grave. "Clear the trash and bring out the main course." I stood there, feeling like I’d just stepped into a hornet's nest while wearing a suit made of honey. "Elian," Kaelen’s voice cut through the nervous shuffling of the remaining Alphas. He didn't look back. "Sit. Right. Here." He pointed to the chair right next to his, the one that had been occupied by his dead father until yesterday. *You have got to be kidding me,* I thought, my internal panic meter redlining. *I’m the guest of honor at the murder buffet.* I walked over, my legs feeling like they belonged to a newborn giraffe. I slid into the chair, the velvet seat feeling incredibly soft against the backdrop of the literal massacre that had happened two minutes ago. "So," I started, trying to keep my voice from sounding like I’d just inhaled helium. "I assume the main course is 'regicide with a side of awkward silence'?" Kaelen turned his head. His eyes were still that terrifying, molten gold. He didn't growl. He actually chuckled. "You’re a weird little creature, aren't you? Most humans would be crying or puking. You’re just… annoyed." "I’m more than annoyed, Your Majesty," I said, leaning in. "I’m hungry. And I’m really starting to feel like the only competent person in this entire country. Is it too much to ask for some decent appetizers while you clean up this mess?" Across the table, Ezra looked like he was about to faint. Aakesh was staring at his plate so hard I thought he might set the china on fire. "Competent," Kaelen mused, picking up his glass. "That’s one way to put it. Others might call you a snitch. A rat." "Rats survive," I retorted, letting my guard drop just enough to show him the steel underneath. "Wolves just eat each other until there’s nothing left. If you want to stop the bleeding, you need someone who can see the wounds before they start festering. That’s me." Kaelen leaned down, his voice dropping to a low, intimate hum that sent a jolt of pure terror-tinged adrenaline down my spine. "You want to play advisor? Fine. But be warned, little fox: advisors who lose the King's favor don't get a quick death. They get the slow burn." "Duly noted," I said, grabbing a crab cake and popping it into my mouth. "I’ll make sure to update my life insurance policy." The room was silent, save for the sound of silverware clicking against porcelain. The remaining Alphas were terrified to even breathe, let alone talk. They were all waiting for Kaelen to finish his meal, waiting to see if they were the next course. And me? I was just sitting there, eating crab cakes, wondering if this was the part where I became the King’s new favorite toy or his first victim of the night. Either way, it was definitely going to be the most interesting dinner I’d ever had.