The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

Sitting in between Casteel and Kieran at a long banquet
table, I scanned the menu while Vonetta sat across from me,
laughing at something Delano said to her.
“Would you like to try a casserole?” Kieran offered as he
looked over my shoulder. “That’s something we can share.”
“What’s a…casserole?”
Casteel looked over at me, a slow grin spreading across
his lips. “Poppy…”
“What?”
“You’ve never had a casserole before?”
My eyes narrowed. “Obviously, not.”
“It’s good,” Kieran explained. “I think you’ll like it.”
“It is,” Vonetta chimed in.
Casteel tugged on a loose strand of my hair. “Especially
if there’s a lot of…meat in it.”
I stared at him, immediately suspicious. “Why are you
saying it that way?”
“Like what?” he asked.
“Don’t try to play innocent.”
“Me?” He pressed his hand to his heart. “I’m always
innocent. I’m just saying I think you will enjoy a meat
casserole.”
I didn’t trust him for one second. I twisted toward
Kieran. “What is he talking about?”
Kieran frowned. “A meat casserole.”
I looked over at Vonetta and Delano. “Is that true?”
Dark brows lifted as Vonetta glanced at Casteel. “I
honestly don’t know what this one is referring to, but I was
thinking about a green bean casserole.”
“Oh, man, I haven’t had one of those in forever,” Naill
murmured.
Sitting back, I folded my arms across my chest. “I don’t
want it.”
“Shame,” Casteel murmured.
“I have a feeling I’m going to want to stab you by the
end of the night.”