I couldn't decide what the texture was like, exactly. It felt smooth, like silk, but it was soft and comfortable like cotton. The way it hugged my skin was something like spandex, but it was flattering in a way that spandex could never be. The dress fit me so perfectly, like it had been made just for me. The color was a glacier blue, precisely the same shade as my eyes.
I shook my head, trying to get my thoughts to refocus. For the moment, my parents were safe. My mother had not returned from her reunion with Liam. I desperately wanted to know how he was, but no one would tell me anything.
"He's like a wolf," Aodhan muttered from where he sat at my side. His gaze flickered around the gathering room, constantly vigilant.
"Hmm?" I asked, wondering if he was even speaking to me.
"At one point, I worshiped Deaghlan. He seemed so strong when I first met him."
I followed his gaze to where Deaghlan stood among a group of other Danaans.
"Don't let him fool you. Don't think for a second that he doesn't see every move you make."
"You really do hate them, don't you?" I asked, knowing I was crossing some unspoken line but not letting it stop me.
"I won't let myself care about them enough to hate them," he said, leaning back. He crossed his arms and went back to scanning the room.
Beautiful men and women were scattered around, laughing and dancing, eating and drinking. The women wore dresses similar to mine, floating in flowing jewel-toned gowns of sapphire, amethyst, and emerald. The men wore embroidered tunics in earth tones of moss, bark, and sand with pants tucked into their boots.
Lights twinkled from the spheres high in the ceiling, sparkling off silver chalices and platters as the sounds of laughter and music mingled in my mind with the scent of ripe fruit and fresh cream. Plates were piled with scones topped with berries ripe enough to burst, and the silver cups were full of a shimmering golden liquid. My senses were overwhelmed—I felt dizzy trying to take in the extravagance of this world.
When a plate and cup were placed on the table in front of me, Aodhan leaned in to speak in my ear. "Eat only what you must, and drink very little. You don't want to get a taste for their food; you'll never want to eat human food again."
I stared longingly at my plate, and a voice spoke from behind me.
"I hope you don't think I'm rude, Allison," Deaghlan said smoothly, taking the chair on my other side.
He chuckled at my startled expression. I wanted so badly to be annoyed by his smugness, but his eyes were so deep and so blue that I couldn't look away.
"You're my guest, and I haven't paid you any attention," he went on.
I pulled my eyes away and focused on the bowls of flowers in the center of the table. "No," I answered, trying to put an edge in my voice. "I don't even want to be here, so it doesn't matter."
Deaghlan laughed again, and I knew it was because rather than sounding firm, my words came out shaky.
"You'll need to eat and get some sleep so that you'll be of use to your friend, Allison."
The way he said my name caused a shiver to pass through me. I stared down at Aodhan's fisted hands as they rested on the table. The muscles in his forearms were taut, showing how he reacted to Deaghlan's presence.
Aodhan's face was impassive as ever, but for a moment, I noticed how he watched Niamh across the table. The fire in his eyes skirted between hatred and longing, but as if he sensed me watching him, he went back to scanning the room.
