A SPRINKLE OF red tainted Eoin's cheeks and forehead. His jaw clenched as his gaze flickered quickly over Ravenna's dress. "That color looks very nice on you," he remarked.

Ravenna smiled coolly and thanked him. She appreciated that his gaze didn't linger, like most men. It was kind of cute how much her appearance seemed to fluster him.

He offered his arm. "As I told you earlier, a feast is being held in our honor tonight. Have you attended one before?"

She looped her arm through his, shaking her head. "No, I haven't."

Eoin heaved a small sigh. "I hope you haven't had anything to eat for the last several days," he muttered under his breath as they stepped into the hall.

"Oh?" She arched an eyebrow at him.

He rolled his eyes toward the heavens. "It is quite extravagant," he explained. "Something that I find to be highly unnecessary. There are usually about seven courses, though it depends on the reasoning behind the ceremony."

Ravenna blinked. "Seven?"

Eoin nodded at her. "Usually. Though I have been served as many as twelve before."

"Twelve courses?" Shock bristled through her. She pressed her lips into a tight, wrinkled line. That much food could feed the entire kingdom.

"As I said, I find it highly unnecessary."

"Is all the food eaten?"

Another small sigh left Eoin's lips. He shook his head with a frown. "No, it isn't. I will be honest with you. It is nearly impossible to eat even one course completely."

Ravenna almost stopped walking. "What happens to the leftover food?" she asked quietly.

"It used to be disposed of. Once I inherited more responsibilities though, I was able to command that the cooks pass it out to the people in the streets," Eoin answered. "It helped some, but not much."

"There are a lot of hungry people in this world," she remarked, her gaze focused on the floor.

Eoin seemed to steady himself. The saddened emotion that plagued his features vanished, replaced with a steady smile. "We can dwell on those matters at a later time," he told her. "We will need to hurry or we will miss the first course."

She steeled her emotions, a forced smile appearing on her face. It bothered her that so much food was thrown out and wasted. It had been a while since she genuinely needed to eat, since she'd felt that gnawing ache of hunger. It hurt her heart to know that so many humans would go to sleep hungry that night, while she sat at a table overflowing with food.

There was nothing she could do about it, however. Not until her plan moved further along.

Eoin whisked her through the castle halls. As they moved closer to their desired location, the sound of jubilant music grew. It floated through the air, a melody of high pitched notes and singing bards. Servants rushed through the hall around them, carrying golden jugs of water and ale.

A familiar face waited for them by the entrance to the dining hall.

"I know," Eoin huffed as they approached. "I know we are late."

"Late is an understatement," Mylo quipped.

The dirt had been scrubbed from his skin, leaving behind a color that reminded Ravenna of the sand she'd seen on the beach in Wai. His hair was longer than she remembered, pulled back at the nape of his neck with an ink-colored ribbon. He looked almost inhumanly handsome in his silver doublet and obsidian belt.

Ravenna's jaw tensed. She forced her gaze to focus on Mylo's dark eyes. "So we missed the first course?" she responded snappily. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Mylo pierced her with a stare for a moment. Then he turned his attention to Eoin. "Clearly, she has not met your father yet," he said.

"How much ale has he had so far?" Eoin asked.

A pained expression appeared on Mylo's face. He shook his head and stepped aside, allowing Ravenna to see into the dining hall.

The room was much larger than she expected. Each wall stretched high toward the ceiling, constructed of the same glittering white stone that the rest of the castle was comprised of. Gold leafing trailed across the walls in a filigree pattern. A heavy stone table filled the center of the room, with at least a hundred unfamiliar faces sitting on either side of it. Plates of food covered the top of the table, almost overwhelmingly so.

"Oh my," Ravenna breathed out.

Eoin opened his mouth to speak.

A slurred voice interrupted him.

"My son has returned! And just look at the whore he has brought with him!"

The king stood, raising a mug of frothy ale into the air. Several women clutched at his other arm, their drunken giggles almost as loud as the music. However his greedy gaze remained focused on Ravenna.

A wave of spiders crawled beneath Ravenna's skin.

Eoin's hand curled into a fist, his cheeks flushed with anger. He walked further into the room, somewhat dragging Ravenna with him.

As they approached his end of the table, the king slumped back into his seat. The scantily clad women clung tightly to him. "Oh gracious," Ravenna heard the king mutter, not quite under his breath. "A face like that is trouble. And that body..."

She could feel his eyes undressing her.

It took all that she had not to lose her cool. Losing her temper now would ruin her plan. There were too many witnesses surrounding them. And even if she tried to kill them all, it would require a lot of soldiers —soldiers that she didn't have yet.

"Do not speak to her that way, Father," Eoin ordered coldly.

Ravenna smiled a grin so fake that it hurt. "Oh, do not fret," she assured Eoin, patting his arm. She locked eyes with a nearby servant and waved her over. "I think your father just needs more ale in his system."

Eoin glanced down at her, his expression bewildered. The servant hastily poured more ale into the king's mug.

The king's entire face lit up. "I like her!" he shouted loudly, taking a swig of his drink. He pointed at Eoin with his glass and said, "Boy, if you don't marry her then I will."

"That won't be necessary, your highness," Ravenna heard Mylo chime in from behind them. He moved slightly so that he stood in front of Ravenna and added, "I believe that Eoin planned to announce his intentions tonight."

Ravenna blinked in surprise. She looked up at Eoin, her eyes wide. He avoided her gaze, his entire face the color of a radish. "Your intentions?" she pressed him.

Flustered, Eoin couldn't find the words to speak. Mylo turned to face Ravenna, throwing an arm around the prince's shoulder. "Oh yes, I suppose you should know," he said, his dark eyes gleaming with a hint of mischievousness. "The prince intends to marry you."

Another smile to stretch across her lips, however this one was real. Her plan was moving much faster than anticipated. "Is that so?" she asked Eoin.

He scratched at his head and nodded. "Yes, it's true."

Mylo cleared his throat. Ravenna shifted her attention back to him. She noticed that his eyes had grown darker, an unknown emotion swirling inside them. "Well? What is you answer?" he asked her. "Do you accept?"

"Of course, I accept," she answered.

She would be foolish not to.

hey friends! 

I'm sorry that this chapter is a little late! I meant to post it yesterday but I've been a little out of sorts. I had a small surgical procedure done last week and it's taken me a bit longer to recover! (I'm good, it was just more testing to see what is going on with my stomach lol). I really appreciate your patience with me!! ❤

p.s. Ice Chapter 113. More Observant went live yesterday on Patreon, if you'd like to read ahead! ❤