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The dress also revealed Vysh’s taloned feet. Kara did a double-take and had to remind herself that shoes were not a thing for Vraxians.Shewas the alien here not them, as Daa’sten had reminded her.

“You ready?” she asked. Vysh nodded excitedly.

“Let’s go.”

Her scales were more violet than blue and Kara realized she was flushed.

“Is everything okay?”

“Better than okay.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Dalthar’s here.”

“Dalthar?”

“Mykalehshun. The palace hired extra staff for tonight and he managed to get in as a waiter.”

“That’s great news. Will you get a chance to see him?”

“We’ve already made plans to meet up. I’m going to sneak away during the dancing.”

“Fuck. There’s dancing?”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t dance.”

“Don’t be agerthal.Everyone can dance. Now come on before Daa’sten sees we’re not with the others and has a heart attack.”

The Potentials were escorted into the banqueting hall. A vast table dominated the room with space for forty diners along one side. The largest chair at one end was of course for the Zhaal.

Butterflies circled in her stomach as she looked for him. She touched her wrist and remembered she’d taken the braid off because she had no sleeves to conceal it with. It felt like she’d removed a part of herself.Sweet Jesus, I miss him.

But he wasn’t there yet and she supposed he would only arrive once everyone else was seated.

Vysh was placed with her family halfway down the table and Kara watched her go, wishing they could sit together.

Layahn was put next to Baelon, who was to the left of the Zhaal. She smiled smugly, clearly relishing the opportunity to be so close to the Vraxian ruler.

One by one the other Potentials were shown to their seats with their parents or siblings. Kara was the last to be seated. She assumed she would be put somewhere at the far end of the dining room since she didn’t have any family present. To her surprise she was placed next to Rhyn who was on the right of Vahn’s chair.

“Oh. Hello,” she said uncertainly. Rhyn grinned at her.

“Greetings, humanoid. You’re with me tonight, I hope that’s okay.”

“Um, why?”

“Because it was either me or being put next to Lord Korvin down at the end there. And honestly, he’s about a thousand. I actually have no idea who invited him.”

Kara stifled a giggle.

“I’d be delighted to join you, Lord Davorrian.”

“Call me Rhyn. Lord Davorrian makes me sound ancient and I am exceptionally youthful.”

“It’s very kind of you, Rhyn.”

She took her seat gracefully, ignoring a poisonous stare from Layahn who was now directly opposite.

“Not at all. Consider me your substitute brother for tonight. Nice dress. I’d say you look lovely but to be honest I have no idea if you’re considered attractive by human standards or not. You could be grossly ugly for all I know.”