Page 6 of Dance of Stars and Ashes

Zarya bit the corner of her lip. “So, where is this place on the scale?”

Yasen’s eyes sparked with wicked glee.

“Oh, this is where anything goes.”

“Do you think this is a little much?” Zarya asked. “Amrita is a sheltered princess. She has no experience with… this.”

Yasen’s response was an amused look. “Are you afraid, Zee?”

“Why would I be afraid?”

“Because you are also a sheltered princess who has no experience with this.”

She glared at Yasen, not appreciating the reminder.

“I’m fine,” she said. “It’s Amrita I’m worried about.”

This place did summon one or two emotions that veered in the vicinity of fear, but Zarya would never admit that out loud.

Zarya turned to Amrita, who was watching Yasen with wide eyes, her mouth parted slightly with shock.

“Vikram wouldn’t approve of this,” she said. “Maybe this is a bad idea.”

“Amrita,” Zarya said, turning the princess towards her and clasping her shoulders. “You don’t have to stay. And you absolutely don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. You can just watch or dance, but Vikram is not your keeper, and you aren’t required to seek his approval on anything. Remember that you are the one who’s going to be queen.”

She could see Amrita weighing those words, her gaze studying their surroundings with a mixture of interest and nerves. This hadn’t exactly been the evening Zarya had planned. She thought maybe Amrita could dance with someone she found pretty—maybe steal a kiss or feel their hands on her at least. But they were here now, and what else could they do but make the most of it?

“You’re right,” Amrita said. “Lead me to debauchery.”

Zarya linked her arm through Amrita’s and maneuvered her so they were facing the room. Not far from where they stood, a female fairy with pale yellow skin and sunny yellow hair sat atop an upholstered stool with her legs splayed wide while another fairy with iridescent blue skin feasted on her with eager strokes of her tongue.

Zarya stood transfixed for a moment, wondering what it might be like to do something like that with so many people watching. The two fairies didn’t seem to notice they were the center of attention, wholly fixated on one another. Zarya cleared her throat, hoping to shield her nervousness from Amrita lest it bleed into the princess’s confidence.

“You told me you’ve never experienced physical intimacy,” Zarya said. “You deserve to have that chance before you never have the option again. If you want it.”

Amrita said nothing as she watched the shifting bodies around the room. In a far corner, two male fairies had a female pinned between them, all moaning and thrusting in various states of bliss. In another was a rakshasa with his teeth sunk into a fairy’s neck, both their eyes shuttered as a line of silver blood snaked down the fairy’s throat.

Zarya hoped this wasn’t too much for Amrita—she was going to kill Yasen. He could have easily brought them somewhere that wasn’t quite so… feral.

“I do want it,” Amrita said softly. “I want to know what it’s like to…” she trailed off and looked over at Zarya, her cheeks turning pink.

“Which is a perfectly natural thing to wonder,” Zarya said. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Amrita nodded, and Zarya noted the bob of her swallow.

“We can leave if you want.”

“No. I don’t want to leave,” Amrita said, shaking her head. “Let’s watch for a bit.”

“Come on,” Yasen said, waving them on. He led them through the crowd, past more curtains, some open to spectators and some firmly shut, though unmistakable sounds oozed through the fabric.

Amrita clung tightly to Zarya’s arm, her eyes growing wider and wider as they moved into the club. Zarya couldn’t focus, either. Though she was trying to keep a brave face, she really wasn’t much more experienced than Amrita, and this place was a lot. She ventured a glance over her shoulder to find Rabin close on their heels, scowling at everyone they passed. More than one person caught sight of his thunderous expression and apparently decided they had somewhere else to be. He hadn’t said a word since they’d entered, but Zarya could feel his eyes on her, disapproving and annoying.

When his gaze met hers, she quickly looked away. The hairs on the back of her neck twitched, and she rubbed at her skin, trying to dispel the feeling of his presence. Why did he have to show up tonight?

Finally, Yasen ushered them into another round room with ivy-covered walls and a ceiling dripping with an abundance of flowers. A long velvet-covered bench lined one wall, and they took a seat behind one of the small tables interspersed along its length.

A moment later, a fairy approached and took their drink orders before she sauntered away, her barely-covered hips swinging back and forth. With their arms still linked, Zarya and Amrita watched the bodies gyrating on the dance floor. The music was sensual and soft, with an underlying beat that lulled them into a swaying rhythm.