She'd given up around three am, then sat in the dark and watched the stars wheel past the viewport, trying to make sense of a universe that had gone completely insane.By the time her handlers arrived to prep her for the day's schedule, she was hollow-eyed and running on spite.
Dance lessons.Of course.Because the universe had a sick sense of humor.
The studio was beautiful, she had to admit.Mirrored walls, soft lighting, polished floors that gleamed like honey.It looked like something out of a dream.Or a nightmare, depending on how you looked at it.
She looked like shit.Utter shit.The flowing practice clothes they'd put her in were gorgeous—pale fabric that moved like water—but the woman wearing them had dark circles under her eyes, and a jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth.
The instructor was Latharian, but not a warrior.Tall, elegant, patient in a way that made Emily want to scream.He moved through the steps like they were breathing, natural as gravity, while Emily stumbled and missed beats and generally made a mess of everything.
"The bonding dance requires perfect synchronization," the instructor said for the third time."You need to anticipate your partner's movements.Feel the connection between the two of you.”
"I'm trying," she said through gritted teeth.
She wasn't trying.Her brain was back in her suite, on her bed, with Raaevik's hand wrapped around hers.
Name the enemy and the price.
She missed another step.
"Perhaps we should take a moment to?—"
"No."She stopped moving.The music continued, some formal arrangement that sounded like it belonged at a bloody funeral."I need a break.Fifteen minutes."
The instructor inclined his head."Of course, my lady.I will return shortly."
He glided out of the studio, leaving her alone.
Except she wasn't.
Raaevik stood against the far wall, arms crossed, eyes fixed on her.He'd been there the whole time, a dark shadow in the corner of the mirror.Watching.Always watching.
She turned to face him.
“You go too," she said.“I need some space.”
He didn't move."I am assigned to your protection."
"You're assigned to drive me insane."Walking to the panel on the wall, she jabbed at the controls.The music swelled, louder now, drowning out the silence between them."There.Now you can pretend you can't hear me."
"I can hear you regardless of the volume."
"Lathar super-hearing.Great."She spun to face him."Then hear this.I didn't sleep last night."
His expression didn't change.But his eyes, those impossible violet eyes, locked onto hers with an intensity that made her skin prickle.
"Because of you," she continued."Because you knelt in front of me and said...what you said.And then Thyaar called, and you couldn't get out of there fast enough."
"It was not appropriate for me to stay."
"Appropriate."She laughed, the sound jagged."You held my hand to your chest and swore to burn down the empire for me, and you're worried aboutappropriate?"
He said nothing.
"You swore to burn it all down for me," she said, stepping closer."Was that just words?"
His jaw tightened."It was not just words."
"Then why are you standing over there?"She took another step."Why are you pretending nothing happened?"
