Page 96 of Carousel

I stare at Cosmer’s back, feeling more and more queasy.

Stop talking to her, I will him. Look at me.

I’m going mad.

When can I leave?

“Now,” the conductor of the musicians says, loudly, in a tone that gets our attention, “For our Fully Integrated friends from beyond the Sea of the Sisters, your captain tells me you are all very welcome here. He would like to dedicate this song to you.”

The song the musicians begin playing is different.

And distantly familiar.

The tune from the flute is slow, gentle. Twisting, as if leading the listener down through a forest. If songs could haunt people like ghosts, this one would.

The floor clears of the Hevallans who had been dancing. Rhavnans from different corners of the room take their place.

And I double-take, because Rike is coming towards me.

He holds out his hand.

“Would you like to dance?” he says, with a smile.

I stare at his hand a moment.

“Now you want to talk to me?” I say, flat. “I’ve only been trying to have a conversation with you for the last two days.”

He bobs his head like he’s entering water. “You know I wasn’t ignoring you because I wanted to. Cosmer spoke to me after breakfast that day⁠—”

“Of course he did,” I mutter.

My eyes flicker to where Cosmer is seated across the room. He’s watching me.

I got exactly what I wished for. To be seen by him.

But for some reason, I don’t feel happy about it.

“And he was right. It was safer for us both just to keep my distance.”

“So, why are you even talking to me now?”

He looks at me kindly. “You’ve been on your own all night. You looked like you could use a friend.”

I glance at Cosmer again, and this time our eyes fully meet. Slowly, he makes a motion with head. I don’t need to have blood magic to know he’s telling me not to dance with Rike.

I decide there’s nothing I’d love to do more.

I look back at Rike, and gingerly take his hand.

Bowing my head slightly, the polite Rhavnan way, I say, “Yes. I probably could. Thank you.”

Rhavnan dancing is nothing like Hevallan dancing. It requires you to look upon the face of your partner. Stay close to them, your bodies moving as one. It’s said to be inspired by the movement of flowing water.

I panic for a moment, not sure I know the steps to this song I don’t quite remember. But we begin them, arms around each other, and it all comes back to me.

Of course. How had I forgotten this? It was played at balls all the time.

We’re comfortable together. We’ve danced to this very song before, and Rike has always been a good dancer – fluid and sure-footed. It was one of the reasons his father disliked him and would often beat him. He considered Rike too feminine.