I suppress the urge to roll my eyes and walk to the seat he indicates with his hand. It’s at the opposite end of the table from where they sit, a relief for me. The girl on his lap glares at me with her eyes narrowed into slits, and the absence of her flirtatious smile already warns me we probably won’t be friends.
A servant pulls out my chair, and another uncovers the dish in front of me. My stomach instantly stirs, welcoming the rich aroma.
I watch my host, waiting for him to do something—starting to eat without him feels rude. Though he’s not human, surely he doesn’t even know what manners are. He’s already made it clear by how he’s treated me. He’s a savage—not even a man.
I grab my utensils and cut the first piece of meat, put it in my mouth, and delight in the explosion of flavors
