Chapter 73: Banquent

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Banquent

"Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own." — Harold Coffin

The Great Hall of the Elven Spire had been transformed into a breathtaking spectacle of starlight and crystal.

Long mahogany tables groaned beneath roasted silver venison, crystallized fruit, and flowing moon wine. Floating clusters of luminescent fairy fire drifted lazily beneath the vaulted emerald ceiling, casting the hall in shifting shades of amber and blue.

Musicians stationed along an upper balcony plucked at harp like instruments, filling the air with a melancholic, cascading melody.

For the first time since arriving in the forest, Riven wasn’t wearing his obsidian mask.

It rested securely inside his inner coat pocket.

Without the dark plate concealing his features, his pale, flawless skin and strikingly pretty face caught the lantern light with every movement. The result was almost amusing.

Courtiers who had expected a scarred, terrifying human monster kept stealing glances in his direction.

They wondered if this pretty boy was really as strong as lyra claimed

Riven ignored them.

More importantly, he had the undivided attention of Princess Lyra.

She sat beside him at the high table in a stunning gown of midnight blue silk that mirrored the night sky.

She had completely ignored the traditional seating arrangements.

Every few minutes, she leaned toward him, laughing softly at something he muttered beneath his breath. Her violet eyes shone with an unabashed affection that she made absolutely no effort to hide.

Riven couldn’t help smirking.

He was starting to think she enjoyed making the nobles uncomfortable.

Across the hall, several young high born elves were having a much less enjoyable evening.

Their wounded pride had slowly turned into open irritation.

"Who in the name of the ancient roots does that human think he is?"

Lord Cassian slammed his silver goblet onto the table.

He was a notoriously arrogant high elf with gold hair pinned neatly behind his head by diamond clasps. His golden eyes remained fixed on Riven.

Especially when Lyra reached across the table and casually adjusted the collar of Riven’s dark jacket.

Cassian’s jaw tightened.

For months, he had positioned himself as the obvious choice for Lyra.

His family possessed enormous political influence, and he had spent years cultivating the image of a perfect royal suitor.

Then a thirteen year old human from the frontier appeared.

And Lyra couldn’t seem to look at anyone else.

"He’s a gutter dog from the badlands, Cassian," Lord Eris muttered.

Eris came from a family that controlled much of the eastern timber trade. He swirled his moon wine while watching Riven with open contempt.

"Look at him. He doesn’t even know how to hold an elven wine goblet properly."

His lips curled upward.

"The princess is simply playing a rebellious game after her little scare in the mountains. She’ll tire of the stray by week’s end."

"She isn’t playing."

Cassian’s fingers tightened around his cutlery.

"She hasn’t even looked our way all evening."

He gestured toward the high table.

That was enough.

Cassian pushed away from his chair and smoothed down his immaculate silver embroidered tunic.

Eris and two other disgruntled young nobles followed him.

Together, they crossed the polished marble floor.

Riven didn’t look up.

He had already heard them coming.

Their footsteps carried across the marble long before they reached the table. Their cadence was aggressive, their movements deliberate.

His core hummed quietly beneath his skin.

Relaxed.

Ready.

Cassian stopped beside the table.

"Princess Lyra."

He offered a brilliant, practiced smile.

"We are overjoyed to see you safely returned to court. But surely a formal celebration of this magnitude deserves better company than..."

His golden eyes shifted toward Riven.

"...low tier frontier company."

Lyra’s smile disappeared.

Her violet eyes hardened.

"Watch your tone, Cassian."

She turned fully toward him.

"You are speaking to my guest."

Her voice became colder.

"And the man who saved my life."

"A guest who belongs in the outer rings, not at the High Table," Eris added.

He stepped forward with a condescending smile.

His gaze traveled over Riven’s uncovered face.

Then he laughed.

"Though I suppose I understand why you keep him close, Princess."

He gestured toward Riven.

"He certainly has a pretty face for a human. Almost looks like a doll."

Riven’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Eris continued.

"Too bad he doesn’t have the nobility or the mana capacity to survive a real courtly duel."

The surrounding conversations died.

One by one, nearby courtiers turned toward them.

Whispers spread through the hall.

Beside Riven, Nyx shifted.

The small wyvern had been curled around the back of his chair, nearly invisible against the darkness of his clothing.

Her violet eyes opened.

She stared directly at Eris’s throat.

A low hiss escaped between her teeth.

Riven finally raised his head.

Without the mask casting shadows across his face, his dark eyes looked even sharper.

He didn’t blink.

He didn’t raise his voice.

He simply picked up his silver goblet, took a slow sip of moon wine, and placed it back onto the table.

Clink.

Eris’s smile disappeared.

Cassian’s face flushed red.

"You insolent human piece of..."

"Enough."

Lyra stood so quickly that her chair scraped loudly against the marble.

Her royal aura exploded outward.

The pressure that followed forced Cassian and Eris to take a step backward.

Lyra’s violet eyes burned with fury.

"If either of you ever speaks to Riven with that kind of disrespect again..."

She paused.

Her gaze swept over the four nobles.

"...or even looks at him that way again, I will have my mother strip your families of their titles before midnight."

Silence.

Lyra pointed toward the opposite side of the hall.

"Get out of my sight."

For a moment, Cassian looked like he wanted to argue.

Then he saw the expression in her eyes.

He stopped.

His jaw clenched.

A murderous glare briefly settled on Riven before Cassian turned away.

"Come."

He stalked across the hall.

Eris and the others followed closely behind.

Only after they disappeared into the crowd did Lyra finally sit back down.

Her chest rose and fell slightly from the adrenaline.

She looked toward Riven.

The anger slowly faded from her expression, replaced by embarrassment.

"I’m sorry," she murmured.

Her voice was quiet enough that only he could hear.

"The nobility here can be insufferable."

Riven looked at her.

The tension in his shoulders had already disappeared.

A slow, lopsided smirk formed across his face.

He reached across the table.

His fingers lightly brushed the back of her hand.

"Let them talk, Your Highness."

His eyes met hers.

"They’re just upset because you’re spending time with the best looking stray in the kingdom."

Lyra froze.

Her breath caught.

Then a bright, helpless laugh escaped her lips.

A deep crimson blush spread across her cheeks.

Riven leaned back in his chair, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

For the first time that evening, Lyra realized something.

Perhaps the nobles weren’t the only ones who had a problem with Riven.

She was starting to have one too.

She liked him far more than she probably should.