Chapter 161 SS food

Chapter 161 SS food
Caelan’s POV

Rydstrom chose the restaurant without telling us what to expect, which I had learned was usually a warning. We had spent most of the afternoon in Ashvara and by the time we reached the city, Nyx had dried completely but was still wearing my coat. 

She had made no attempt to give it back. I had made no attempt to ask for it. At some point during the walk she had tucked her hands into the sleeves because they were too long for her and every time I looked down and saw her walking beside me with my coat hanging around her like it belonged there. I found myself unwilling to correct the situation. 

The restaurant was built into the side of a huge tree, although restaurant was probably not the right word for it. The entrance opened into a wide wooden platform wrapped around the trunk with hanging lanterns above us and tables arranged beneath the branches. 

Music drifted through the open space from somewhere higher up, soft strings mixed with something that sounded like bells. Shapeshifters moved through the place in every shape imaginable. Some were completely human, some had tails or ears or eyes that were clearly not human and one man passed our table carrying three plates with four arms. Nyx stopped halfway up the stairs.

“Did he have four arms?” she whispered, staring after him.

Rydstrom continued walking as though this was an ordinary question. “Yes.”

“He had four arms.”

“He does.”

She hurried after us, the sleeves of my coat falling over her hands as she caught up. “Why did you say that like I asked whether he had shoes?”

“Because you asked whether he had four arms.”

“That was not a normal four arms situation.”

Rydstrom glanced at her over his shoulder. “You’ve met dragons.”

“Drakthar has four legs. That is completely different.”

I heard the smile in her voice before I saw it and something in my chest eased. She had been happy since we arrived in Ashvara. She isnt distracted happy, not the careful version she sometimes wore when she did not want me to worry. She was genuinely enjoying herself. She asked questions about everything. 

She stopped twice to watch the kind of birds she had never seen before. She spent ten minutes trying to convince Rydstrom to turn into a squirrel and he refused with the patience of a man who had made a terrible mistake agreeing to show her his abilities.

I was beginning to understand that taking Nyx somewhere new was dangerous for me. She made me want to see it through her eyes.

Rydstrom led us to a table near the open edge of the restaurant. We could see the city below us, lights scattered through the trees and little paths winding between the buildings. A server came over almost immediately but the moment his eyes settled on me, his entire posture changed.

He froze then he looked at Rydstrom. Then at me again.

“Your Majesty,” he breathed.

His eyes widened and before I could tell him there was no need for it, he dropped into a deep bow. The other staff members noticed. One by one, they turned toward our table and within seconds the entire section had gone strangely quiet. Nyx leaned toward me.

“Why is everyone staring?”

“Because apparently Rydstrom has announced my presence without warning.”

Rydstrom took his seat with complete calm. “I did.”

I turned my attention toward him. “You could have mentioned that.”

“You would have objected.”

“I would have asked you not to.”

“Exactly.”

Nyx covered her mouth but I saw the smile behind her fingers. The server straightened slowly still looking at me with an expression that was somewhere between awe and terror. 

“It is an honour to have you in our home, Your Majesty. We had no idea you would be visiting.”

“I am here privately,” I said, hoping that would ease him. It did not because his  bow became deeper. Nyx’s shoulders shook beside me.

“Please,” I said and this time I tried to make the command gentler. “There is no need for this.”

“We are honoured,” another server said quickly, approaching with both hands clasped in front of her. “The Vampire King has entered our city.”

Nyx leaned closer to me. “You really cannot go anywhere quietly, can you?”

“I was wearing human clothing in Kyoto.”

“And people still stared. Maybe it’s your face and eyes.” She whispered like that wasn’t the most obvious thing. 

I turned toward her to see that she she was trying not to laugh again.

“It is probably my face,” I said.

That finally made her laugh properly and the tension around the table eased.

Rydstrom lifted his glass. “They were planning to entertain us tonight.”

The server brightened immediately. “Yes. We have a performance prepared.”

Nyx’s attention snapped toward him. “A performance?”

The excitement in her voice made the server smile. “If you would like one, Your Majesty’s guests will be honoured.”

Rydstrom gave a small nod. “Please entertain them.”

I looked at him but he was already reaching for his drink, completely satisfied with himself.

Nyx sat forward. “What kind of performance?”

“You will see,” the server said and bowed before leaving.

Nyx turned to me with her eyes bright. “I love this place.”

“I noticed.”

“And you are not allowed to complain about being recognised.”

“I have not complained.”

She smiled at me over the table and I had to look away for a moment because there were things I was still learning about myself when it came to her. There had been a time when her smile would have irritated me. I had spent centuries believing her face belonged to someone who had destroyed everything I loved.

Now I watched her smile and thought only that I wanted to see it again.