Page 448 of Axis of Fire

I wasn't about to torture myself by watching something I already knew would hurt.

Truthfully...

I no longer wanted to be here at all.

"Want to grab something to eat?" I asked Stasia.

She nodded immediately.

She looked just as uncomfortable as I felt.

Still, I wasn't about to ask about her and Tarven.

Not yet.

We had barely taken a step when Dilraba's melodic voice reached us.

"Would you care to dance with me?"

She stood in front of Kaeron.

One of the Strongest Twelve.

Kaeron didn't even raise an eyebrow.

"You could always dance with me instead, beautiful."

Taylor flashed her a lazy grin.

Dilraba merely rolled her eyes before taking Kaeron's hand without another word.

"Come on."

Stasia rested a hand against my shoulder, gently steering me toward the banquet tables.

Halfway there—

someone stepped directly into my path.

Airis.

He regarded me with that familiar expression.

Cold.

Unreadable.

Just slightly annoyed.

I arched an eyebrow.

The nerve of him.

"I wasn't aware this was part of the dance floor," I said.

Touching Stasia's elbow, I tried to continue walking.

Airis didn't let me.