When we walked back into the castle we did not head to the ballroom or the throne room. I had not seen a dining hall or anything of the sort the last time I was here but apparently I assumed they had one. Apparently I assumed Everest only had Mei-Ling and me eat in his room because we were hiding. Surely the vampires gathered somewhere to eat, and I just hadn’t been included in that since I wasn’t one.

But Sweyn led me through the castle at a quick pace, her arm hooked around mine. Several members of her court followed behind us though the sentinels stopped at the front door, with the promise of their own serving after she was done. There was so much more to this castle than I’d seen yet, so I assumed I was about to see a new section when Sweyn led our group down the creepy stone staircase. Except this wasn’t the same stairs by my room, this was a grand staircase worthy of a movie set. Candlelight flickered all around us. At the bottom of the stairs sat grand double wooden doors with a sentinel stationed on each. The sentinels timed opening the doors so perfectly that Sweyn did not have to slow her pace at all.

Which meant I lost that final moment for my brain to realize what was actually about to happen. In hindsight it was glaringly obvious, however in real life it wasn’t until I spotted three dozen humans chained down that I realized the feast was not about food.

I gasped and my feet stopped on their own accord.

Sweyn’s hand slipped out from around my arm as she stepped forward with a giggle. She spun around to face me and held her arms out wide. “Welcome to my chamber, María. Tonight, you feast with mine and you join my court.”

“Bow and thank her,” Everest whispered in my mind.

“Gracias, mi reina.” I dropped into a deep bow then stood. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.

She threw her head back and cackled. “My tickling is speechless. Have you never seen such a feast?”

I shook my head.

“My Queen, María is new to her fangs.” Everest spoke from so close behind me I felt his breath sweep through my hair. “I doubt she has seen any feast, let alone one as grand as yours.”

“You worry too much, Everest.” She took my face in one hand. “My María is a natural.”

“And you do not worry enough.”