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“It is an entire world parallel to the mortal one,” he shrugged, lounging back in his chair. “There are many. Especially since I allowed them to roam free.”
I swallowed hard and dropped my eyes to my lap. “Petris told me about you.” I hoped I wasn’t tossing him to the wolves by telling the king about our private conversations.
“Did he?” he said calmly, eyes fixed on me.
“He said you cut a hole in the Labyrinth so you’d have an excuse to hunt the souls that escaped.”
“I did.”
I was a bit stunned that he didn’t even try to deny it.
“I’m thousands of years old, Briar. Cutting a hole in my Labyrinth is not the worst of my crimes.”
I blinked with shock and found myself staring at him like he wasn’t real again.
“That’s the first time you’ve said that,” I said.
“Said what?”
“How old you are. I suppose I haven’t really thought of it.”
“Well, when you exist as long as I have, you make many mistakes.”
“So, you think cutting open the Labyrinth was a mistake?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Everything he said seemed so certain. I wasn’t sure if it was a lack of remorse or mere acceptance that he’d done things and there was no going back whether or not he regretted them.
When our conversation started to slow, I remembered I was famished. I looked down at my plate and the perfect slices of pork slathered in some kind of sauce. I cut into it and brought the smallest bite to my lips.
Cranberry gravy.
It was beyond delicious. I savored it, chewing slowly when my eyes trailed across the table and up to meet Rune’s stare again. He had the faintest hint of a smile on his lips before he brought a piece of fruit to his mouth and bit it in half. It was far too sensual a gesture. My cheeks flamed and I swallowed my small bite of food.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“Of course, I do. Your cooks have a knack for flavors.”
“It’s why I keep them.”
I stuck my fork into a small pearl onion. It tasted just as divine drenched in the same seasoning as the pork.
“Is that how you think of everyone here?” I said. “As something to keep or discard?”
“Yes.”
His answer was so certain and lacked shame. But I didn’t mind it. The king was sure of himself and that was something I envied.
“But everyone here has a choice,” he continued. “Of whether or not to be kept.”
“You must treat them well if they’ve all chosen to stay.”
“They didn’t all stay.”
He spoke softly that time, eyes fixed on me. I had a piece of pork in front of my open mouth when he said that and I stopped. I could have put the fork down and consoled him. Tried to alleviate the blame he had put on me. Instead, I ate the pork and chewed, sitting up straight with a sigh.
“If this was a lavish dinner prepared to accuse me of more lies and deceptions, can it wait until after I’ve eaten?”
