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“Can Hesperine horses levitate too?”
“What magic Aunt Lyta gives them is a mystery. Moonflower is half as old as I am and surprises me more every night.”
The horse carried them through the woods as if dancing on air, over frozen creeks and under low-hanging boughs. At last, music and light beckoned through the trees ahead.
The sounds of celebration welcomed them out of the woods onto the shore of a broad, frozen lake. Couples crowded the banks, but none as yet set foot on the ice. The lake gleamed under the moonlight as far as Cassia could see, the opposite shore lost in darkness. Upon the water’s frozen surface glowed a Rose of Hespera graven on the ice and marked with spell light.
“No bonfire dances for those who pledge their love under Hespera’s gaze,” Lio murmured to her.
“Her Sanctuary of ice warms me as no fire ever could.”
All around Lio and Cassia, other celebrants rode up to the lake or arrived in sleighs pulled by boreian deer jingling with bells. Hesperines who appeared a little older than Bosko gathered around to take Lio’s horse. Lio dismounted and handed Cassia down, then let the youths lead Moonflower away to a roped-off area where other horses milled about in warm blankets with feed bags on their noses.
Lio took her hand and led her down toward the ice. They walked through clouds of smells: coffee and cider, roasted almonds and fresh pies, evergreens and snow. Some of the Imperial guests sat nearby in their enchanted cloaks, laughing as they wrestled out of their snowshoes in order to strap metal blades onto the bottoms of their boots.
“What are those?” Cassia asked.
“Ice skates, a Hesperine invention for the benefit of our mortal guests. They enable you to glide across the ice.”
“They look like they take some practice.”
“You can certainly try them if you like, but you won’t need them, for you shall dance every dance with me. I won’t let you slip on the ice anymore than I would let you sink into a snow bank.” He caught her up and swung her around on the spot.
From her higher vantage point, she caught sight of a lone figure standing under a tree some distance from the crowd. She wouldn’t have noticed him if not for his red hair. “Rudhira is back.”
Lio set her down and stared in the direction she pointed. “He never comes to Grace Dance.”
“Let’s go find out if this has anything to do with your Gift Night present.”
They made their way out of the gathering. As they approached him, Rudhira lifted a hand in greeting and smiled faintly. He lounged against the tree as if he were tired, although Cassia knew an immortal Hesperine’s weariness was deeper than the body. In one hand, Rudhira dawdled the package wrapped in blood-red silk that Lio had given him on Winter Solstice.
Lio clasped his Ritual father’s wrist. “Have you opened it yet?”
“Yes. Point taken. And thank you.”
Smiling, Lio gave a nod.
Cassia clasped Rudhira’s wrist in turn. “Thank you for bringing Nephalea and the hostages home safely.”
“Nike carried the night, as always.” Rudhira’s voice thickened. “Our victory star, Methu called her.”
“Are you all right?” Lio asked.
Rudhira huffed. “She didn’t stay in one place long enough for me to wave at her on her way out.”
“It must be hard to understand why.”
Rudhira sighed. “No. I understand perfectly. I think I’ll let some concerned parties do a little more than wave at me tonight.” He straightened and took a step away from the tree, then pulled them to him briefly, one under each arm. “Congratulations. I’ll enjoy watching your dance tonight.”
He let them go and stepped out of sight. His red head reappeared a short distance around the lake, amid Konstantina’s Trial circle. His sister started and swiveled to face him. Watching the siblings embrace, Lio and Cassia exchanged a smile.
They caught sight of Mak waving to them. They waved back and made their way to their friends. Mak and Lyros stood holding each other, already swaying on their feet as if impatient to dance. Xandra, Nodora, and Kia stood waiting for their companions. Harkhuf, Nodora’s sitarist, and Kia’s mathematician sat in the snow in their Imperial festival attire, strapping on the ice skates. They laughed and talked amongst each other with the good cheer of men who had already availed themselves of some festival drinks.
“Rudhira’s here!” Xandra squealed. “I can’t believe it.”
“We just saw him,” Cassia said.
Xandra narrowed her eyes at Lio. “Just what did you give him in that present he’s carrying around?”
