The Last Dragon King (Kings of Avalier #1)(27)

The next morning I awoke to hear Narine whistling. My eyelids sprang open and I peered at her. She was bopping on her heels, hands behind her back.

“What?” I mumbled. Narine didn’t display this sort of happiness for no reason.

“You have a lunch date with the king in a few hours!” she squealed.

I bolted upright, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “What?”

Narine nodded. “And a dress has come for the occasion.”

Oh, that’s why she was excited.

I dipped my head. “Good. Take the dress and sell it before I’ve even worn it. I don’t want to get anything on it.”

She frowned. “But… my lady, you have only simple day dresses not suitable for lunch with his royal highness.”

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, reaching my arms over my head to stretch. “His royal highness saw me kill a man while I rode on his back. He doesn’t expect a lady. Fetch my trousers and tunic.”

If it was lunch alone with him and not a big event with the other women, I wanted to be myself. I was worried it would be an interrogation about my heritage now that Dr. Elsie had told him she’d smelled a spell on me.

Narine swayed on her feet, grasping the window ledge as if she were going to faint. “My lady… you can’t… wear trousers to have lunch with the king.”

“I can and I will,” I informed her. I wasn’t going to be someone I was not for a man who might end up killing me if he found out about my magic.

No thanks.

Narine took a few steadying breaths. “This could look bad on me with Annabeth,” she said.

I waved her off and walked out of the room into the washroom. “I’ll tell her you are amazing and I forced you to allow me to wear my preferred clothes.”

She let a small smile slip. “Do you even want to see the dress before I sell it?”

I started to brush my teeth and nodded. She left the room and returned holding a silky pink and purple gown with hand-stitched flowers and frilly sleeves.

I spit into the washbasin and then looked at her. “It’s beautiful.”

It was. It would look amazing on Kendal.

She seemed hopeful, gesturing for me to take it.

“Sell it. I’ll let you do my hair.”

With a groan she nodded. “At least wear a corset over your tunic to accentuate your waist. Hiding that figure under baggy clothing won’t land you a husband.”

Thinking of my mother’s advice to seduce the king if things looked like they might not be going in my favor made me realize Narine was right.

I nodded.

It was a good compromise.

A few hours later, I peered into the mirror with a smile.

I wore tight black suede hunting trousers, a royal blue silk tunic that was short and tight—nothing like I’d ever seen before—and a small black leather waist cincher that ended just under my bust. I made sure Narine didn’t tie it tightly, and even did a squat to make sure I could move about easily.

She’d curled my hair and braided it over one shoulder. I even let her fuss over me with makeup.

“I think you may have just invented a new style.” Narine stared at me, rubbing her chin. “I like it.”

I put my hands on my small waist. “I love it.” Reaching out, I slipped my hunting blade into a thigh holster on my waist and Narine shook her head.

“For lunch with the king! Are you mad?” She yanked the blade out and stashed it in a drawer nearby.

I spit out my tongue at her. She already had a buyer for the dress. Ten jade coins, sight unseen.

There was a knock at the door.

Narine answered it, and then looked at me, stricken. “It’s Annabeth, here to take you to your lunch date.”

I nodded, knowing she was worried how me not wearing the dress might look.

I walked into view of Annabeth and watched as her gaze ran over my outfit. “Don’t you love my stylish trouser suit? I insisted on wearing it. I think it will be all the rage at court once I am queen,” I said with a Jade City accent.

Annabeth shared a worried look with Narine.

“I tried to persuade her to wear the dress,” Narine said nervously.

Annabeth stared at Narine with pity, and then at me. “It looks… like something Regina might wear.”

I grinned. That was truly a compliment. “Thanks.”

After wishing Narine a good day, Annabeth led me down a network of hallways to a smaller set of double doors. “The king’s private dining hall,” Annabeth said, and opened the door. She took one last look at my outfit and shook her head. “Good luck.”

I tried not to let my nerves get the better of me. Had the king requested this lunch with me to probe about my magic? Or was he meeting all of the women privately to assess their wifeliness?

I stepped into the hall as she closed the doors behind me. Spinning around, I surveyed the room. It was covered in black plush carpet; the walls were black as well, with a gold dragon emblem print. It would have been too dark if not for the magnificent chandelier and giant open window facing the garden. It was masculine, and fitting for the dragon king.

In the center of the room was a small four-person dining table. I suddenly felt weird being here. Had he eaten here with Queen Amelia?

A thwack drew my attention to the window and I wandered over to peer outside. The king was shooting a bow and arrow in the garden.