AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We’re nearly chest to chest, and if I leaned in close enough, I could press my lips to his. I know he’s thinking the same as his tongue swipes over his bottom lip, and my gaze darts down to watch it.
But the tension between us bursts with the door opening, and we’re on opposite sides of the bench before it fully unveils us in the corner, the music still playing.
“Ris,” Rhovier says as she strolls in, staring down at something in her hands. It must be a contract or schedule as she flips through the parchment. “I was looking over the schedule, and…” Her words trail off as she looks up to me sitting at the jinrayaha with Ris.
My hands drop from the keys, and I turn to go polish the ilya, always trying to protect the body of such a delicate instrument from the harsh lights and temperature changes in the theater. I don’t expect Ris to even notice me anymore with his sister in the room. I’m just falling into my role – the one that we both forget when we’re alone it seems.
But to my surprise, he says, “Hey, why’d you stop?” He keeps on with the melody like his sister isn’t even there. “It was just getting good.”
“Because she’s a servant,” Rhovier snaps. “She shouldn’t be playing your instruments.”
“She knows as much about these instruments as I do. Playing them keeps them in good shape, and playing with me keeps my mind sharp. Where do you think my new sets come from?”
His emerald eyes sweep toward me, fire burning in them. “Play with me, Sienna.”
I feel caught in the middle, but at the end of the day, Ris is my boss, not Rhovier. So I settle next to him, finding the melody again. He really catches me off guard as he eases off the keys, looking at me. “Keep playing.”
And then he gets up and rounds the jinrayaha. I do as he says, continuing the song without him, and it helps ease the tension in my body. I let the song weave and flow, trying not to look like I’m listening as he goes up to Rhovier.
“What about the schedule?” He crosses his arms over his chest, something he only does when he feels defensive or is fake pouting. Or real pouting. He is a dramatic artist after all.
“You have four shows this week, but I’ve only seen two setlists.”
He shrugs. “I can alternate them.” He turns, looking back at me as I start a new song.
“Maybe I can write some new songs. Sienna has great ideas.”
She clenches her jaw, and I try to keep my eyes on the keys. “She’s a servant. Not an
Artist.”
“Do youhearher?” he scoffs. “I’d love to hear you play like that.”
My face is turning bright red at this rate. I can practically hear Rhovier fuming at the comparison.
“You need to rest your voice with this many performances. We’ll come early tomorrow so you can work on some new songs. Let’s go.”
Ris takes a step back. “No.”
The tension in the air grows thick, and my hands falter, only drawing more attention to myself. I don’t know what to do, so I keep playing.
“No?” Rhovier asks incredulously. “Ris–”
He holds a hand up. “You go home. I’m going to stay a while longer, have a drink and listen to the next set. Maybe I’ll be inspired.”
“But–”
He’s already turned away from her, walking around the body of the jinrayaha toward me.
“It’ll be good for me to see what the crowd reacts well to.”
She can’t argue with him there, and she knows it as she opens and closes her mouth. Her eyes keep darting between us, and I fight to keep from looking up. I can feel every lance of her gaze, though. I watch her beneath my lashes as she wavers, and I hope she can’t tell.
“It is best if you go, Rho. You know how clammy some of these artists can be around managers, and I’m working hard for that evening spot.”
Ris is nearly to me now, and my heart is slamming in my chest. We can’t be ourselves in front of Rhovier. I can’t tease and joke with Ris. And she certainly can’t know that we…
No, I can’t even think about it in her presence. That’s why we don’t dare when she’s even in the building.
