The prime minister blanched and immediately fell into a bow even deeper than the one he had offered Rain. "My Lady Feyreisa, please accept my apologies. No insult was intended."

"Peace, Lord Corrias. No insult is taken." Marissya v'En Solande's calm voice broke the tense silence. Deeply veiled and exquisitely gowned in unrelieved scarlet, the shei'dalin descended the stairs on the arm of her truemate. Tairen's Eye crystals flashed at her throat and wrists, and dozens more hung about her hips on golden chains. "Lady Ellysetta is the first Feyreisa in over two thousand years, and the only one ever to be truemated to our King. One small lapse in protocol can be forgiven.”

As Lord Corrias rose, Marissya's voice sounded in Ellie's head. 'Las, little sister. Rain will not be able to keep his promise if you cannot control your fears.' Then, hesitantly, «I can help calm you, if you will permit me.”

Ellie shook her head. She wanted no shei'dalin mind control worked on her, even if it was to make her feel better. The very thought of it made her stomach clench.

«Don't be frightened. I will do nothing without your permission. You must calm yourself so Rain can control his temper.»

Ellie took a deep breath and tried to do as Marissya asked, but she was too conscious of the many eyes on her. Whenever Ellie drew too much attention, she could almost feel people looking at her, as if their sharp gazes were fingers pinching and poking at her. It was an unpleasant, unsettling sensation, and trying to combat it always gave her a sick headache. Tonight, the sensation was stronger than ever before.

«Peace, shei'tani.”

"I'm trying," she muttered. "Can we just get this over with?”

«Of course.» Even though Rain's eyes still glowed fiercely, his mental voice was warm and gentle and almost as soothing as the shei'dalin's.

"Lord Corrias." None of the warmth Ellie felt from Rain was apparent in his voice as he turned his attention back to the prime minister. "Please escort us to the king and queen so that we may pay our respects. Then you may introduce us to your other guests.”

The prime minister gave another deep bow. "Of course, My Lord Feyreisen," he replied, with only the faintest hint of stiffness in his voice. "It will be my honor."

When they reached the dais at the end of the room, Rain bowed his head in greeting to King Dorian and Queen Annoura. He saw Ellie begin to sink into a deep curtsey and formed a rapid weave of Air to keep her upright.

«Nei, Ellysetta, » he advised. «You are our queen. Do not humble yourself before the throne of another. It is acceptable merely to bow your head to them to acknowledge their sovereignty in their own land.”

Blushing, she did as he instructed.

Garbed completely in gold, with huge yellow diamonds draped around his throat, sparkling on his fingers, and winking from every fold of his gold-cloth doublet, King Dorian was the sun. His dark hair had been pomaded, curled, and powdered with gold dust. A bright Celierian blue sash was angled across his chest and fastened at his hip by a large gold disk stamped with Celieria's royal seal. His feet, clad in gold shoes with stacked heels and yellow-diamond-encrusted buckles, were crossed comfortably before him, and his strong, sun-bronzed hands curled with familiar casualness on the arms of his massive throne.

Beside him, shining in cool silver and diamond-white radiance, Queen Annoura was the moon, though in truth she outsparkled her husband. Her hair was powdered silver, her eyebrows gilded to match. Brilliant blue-white diamonds set in shining platinum cascaded like a waterfall down her slender throat and across the deep expanse of skin exposed by the low heart-shaped décolletage of her gown. One large egg- shaped diamond trembled between her br**sts. More diamonds winked at her ears, on her fingers, around her wrists, from the silver fabric and lace of her gown. Even the tips of her silver-polished nails gleamed with small diamonds.

The overdone brilliance of the king and queen offended Rain's Fey senses. In the Fading Lands, elegance and beauty were found in simplicity rather than ostentation. Ellysetta's unadorned gown and the restrained dazzle of her Tairen's Eye jewelry were far more appealing to him.

The queen's sharp gaze roved over Ellysetta. Her lips tightened as she examined the bracelets and tiara, and Rain knew Bel and the others had been right in offering their sorreisu kiyr. Annoura had no doubt hoped the Fey would forget the Celierians' custom of declaring social rank by the quantity and value of the jewels they wore. Instead, each one of Ellysetta's crystals surpassed the combined worth of all Annoura and Dorian's diamonds.

Finished with her perusal, Annoura arched a mocking silvered brow that set Rain's teeth on edge. His expression, however, remained stone blank. He would rather dance naked before the entire court than give Celieria's queen the satisfaction of knowing she could annoy him.

"My dear," the queen purred to Ellysetta, "you must meet the ladies of our Great Houses. Jiarine, Lady Montevero, will introduce you.”

Annoura waved and a sapphire-bedecked young woman came eagerly to the queen's side. Her large, silver-lidded eyes swept over Ellysetta, and a too-sweet smile curved her pretty lips. Rain didn't like the look in her eyes or the hint of darkness that clung to her neatly packaged form. She reminded him too much of the Kelissande creature who took such pleasure in wounding his shei'tani's heart.

"That is unnecessary," Rain interrupted, flashing a cold look at Lady Jiarine. "Lord Corrias has graciously offered to introduce us”