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“I don’t really know how to dance. Not formally.”
“Me either.” He winked, taking her hands and pulling her toward the ever shifting crowd.
Ace giggled, her feet dragging as he pulled her every step of the way. “I don’t believe that at all.”
He hummed along with the song as though it was familiar. Their interlaced hands lifted as he spun her. The hem of her dress billowed away as air picked up the material. Lights streaked across the darkening sky, the flames of lanterns blurring with the stars that were starting to appear overhead. There was a steady beat of a drum and the strum of a guitar accompanied by a sweet voice that sang along cheerfully.
All of it came together to create one single moment free of all worries, free of the past, and free of whatever the future may or may not hold. She bumped shoulders with witches and warlocks, all of whom were too busy enjoying themselves to care. Ace didn’t care either.
Her torso aligned with Rehan’s, their hips swaying together. The tip of his nose nuzzled into her neck as she threw her arms over his shoulders and hugged him close.
“Thank you for this,” she whispered
“You can thank me by dancing until your feet fall off.” She was spinning again. Twirling and moving through the crowd as Rehan swept her away. Compared to his smooth trained steps she was clumsy and offbeat. Not that that mattered as they laughed together and, maybe for the first time, truly got to enjoy each other’s presence.
A twirling blur of yellow swept in, stopping the pair with a shy smile. Margo gave a curtsey, hardly able to pull her attention away from Rehan at all. “May I cut in?”
“Oh, of course! I’ll go get myself a snack.” Ace pulled at her skirts to curtsey in return.
“I would be so honored to dance with you.” Rehan tipped the girl’s chin up with a smile. He gave Ace a knowing look as Margo burst with giggles and threw her arms around his waist.
Ace waved, wondering if she was going to get her dance partner back again. She turned to where Shelby had been standing with his sister not too long ago only to watch his broad shoulder step out of the light of the party and disappear into the darkness. Where was he going? Shouldn’t he be out here meeting long lost family and enjoying himself?
She’d bled for Pasia but most of all she’d bled for Shelby, for her friend.
“Excuse me,” she murmured over and over again as she made her way through writhing bodies.
When she broke free of the tables, lights, witches, and warlocks, it was hard to see into the night. Her eyes adjusted quicker than she thought they normally might, giving her just enough time to watch Shelby walk down a slender dirt path. With a last look over her shoulder, she confirmed that Rehan was busy showing Margo the night of her life. She gathered the front of her dress in her hands and hurried after Shelby.
She was going to show him a good night whether he liked it or not. Or not was probably the answer. He deserved to have a good time, not hide away all by himself. A smile broke out across her face as she drew nearer. This was going to be the best night of all of their lives, not just hers. Call it one last hurrah before the crown and all the impending responsibilities of it.
Even as she grew distant she could still hear the merry beat of the music and she walked to the rhythm of the song, soft slippers gliding around overgrowing gardens. Ace turned the corner just in time to see Shelby slip inside the small home Margo had brought her into.
She quickened her pace, pushing open the rusting gate, and only slowing when she heard the rise of voices inside.
“What could possibly make you think that this was a good idea?”
Shelby.
“Well, I had to do something.” A female voice.
“You could have stayed with me.”
“Shelby, this was all so much bigger than us.”
Ace’s smile wavered as she realized he was speaking to his mother. The woman who’d left him to be taken as a slave. How could a mother watch their son be taken away and not try and stop it?
“No, you involved us in the ‘bigger.’ You created this. Why would you take a Fae captive? How did you even get away with it? Much less keep him here all this time?”
Ace took a step away from the door. Her fingers pressed against her lips working as the only thing to keep her gasp inside.
“He is ours to bargain with,” Derfla snapped.
“Who do you think you can bargain with?” There were heavy steps inside, old decayed floorboards that creaked. His anger could be felt through the walls of the home. “What is his name?”
“Radeem.”
Leaves poked against Ace’s ankles, her foot narrowly avoiding stepping on an oversized squash.
