Chapter 12 #2
Kaden nodded in agreement before letting her go and turned to watch the crowd with his normal impassive look.
There were many eyes on her, some she could tell were friendly, others she was unsure of.
Both of her guards kept their eyes out, but she could already feel anxiety flooding into her and needed to do something even though they just arrived at their spot.
“Let’s dance,” she asked quickly, her nerves needing a way to calm themselves.
“Of course.” Silas nodded to Kaden who kept watch on them as they entered the dance floor.
“Take a deep breath Alyra, you are ok.” Silas whispered as he grabbed her around her waist, his hand gliding along her bare back.
It was an instant sense of relief that shivered up her spine at his touch, his other hand holding onto hers as he spun her around.
It had been a long time since she danced and realized she was a bit rusty.
“I got you.” He grinned as she tripped on his foot and her face turned red.
She could only let out a small laugh before they started again, his body guiding her effortlessly. Her face was only a foot from his, her eyes not leaving his for a long moment.
“Silas,” she whispered, the music drowning out the noise around them. “I know I tell you this all the time, but thank you for everything.”
“Alyra.” He cleared his throat, nervous tension radiating off him. “I would do anything for you, you know that right? Anything to help you get your power back.”
She nodded her head with a nervous smile, their bodies floating around the dance floor to the music playing around them. “I know,” she whispered.
His hand on her back gently tightened pulling her closer so she was completely against him, their faces now only inches from one another. There was only a small moment she felt anxious with that type of contact, odd for her to react to him but she shook it off and watched his eyes scan her face.
She could feel her breath catch and heart speed up. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to take this plunge with him, her guilt still eating at her at the thought of it.
The song suddenly ended and the crowd started to clap at the musicians playing, her and Silas separating but tension still hovering between them.
“Alyra,” Declan's voice sounded from the side as he approached. “Mind if I have the next dance?”
Silas nodded to her and started walking towards the opposite wall Kaden had been stationed at in an attempt to survey more of the room.
She took a deep breath trying to shake off whatever just happened between her and Silas before grabbing Declan's outstretched hand tentatively.
She was going to have to get used to contact if she was going to heal, and this would be a good test..
He pulled her in close as the music started, his body making her slightly uncomfortable and she fought the nausea that started to creep up.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his tone seeming sincere. “I always loved you in your traditional attire. I remember when we used to dance under the stars every year on Sigrblót after lighting the bonfire?”
“Yeah, that was a long time ago.”
“Compared to how long of a life we live it really isn’t.” His hand crawled up her bare back slightly and she flinched, glaring at him.
He was right, Fae lived for dozens of centuries depending on their lifestyle, just like her people. One hundred years was a fraction of their life, but this last century still felt like a lifetime to her.
“For me it is.” She tried to pull back from him some but his grip on her held her too tight to maneuver. “Careful Declan.” she warned.
“I’ve been dying to hold you since you walked through that door, it's just hard for me to let you go.” His head dipped to the side of her head, his lips close to her ear.
“Remember the night before the war and how we stayed up almost all night wrapped up in one another?
How can that just be nothing to you now?
" His voice got deep and she could feel her stomach start to twist.
To him it might have been magical, but anything to do with sex with him was lack-luster for her and she was more worried about the battle than what they were doing in bed.
Her heart raced and knew one of the other males she came with would sense it if she didn’t calm her anxiety brewing inside her. She knew if Silas intervened, it would cause a bigger scene than she would like to make this evening.
“Being carved up and broken into pieces on Mavros’s stone slab tends to change someone, Declan.” She tried to keep her voice from shaking. “I’m not the same person you used to love. "
She could see his eyes flicker with surprise at her details she decided to share, the nature of her captivity still not known to him or the king.
“Maybe I will love the new you just as much?” His arms dropped her into a dip along with everyone else dancing before pulling her back up. She could feel her chest start to tighten and the familiar feeling of panic rising in her throat.
“Maybe the new me doesn’t want you to,” she muttered back, her body starting to tense in anticipation of his response.
A large hand grabbed at Declan’s hand, wrenching his hold from her and she knew by the sheer size of the figure, it wasn’t Silas. Declan released her before he could say another word, Kaden gently guiding her behind him without making contact with her.
“You’re upsetting my Queen.” Kaden’s voice was sharp and a chill was sent down her spine.
My queen.
She didn’t know how to respond and just looked to Declan who knew he was no match for Kaden if it came down to a brawl, unlike with Silas.
“It was unintentional, just trying to catch up with one another after all these years.” Declan’s tone was calm but his body was visibly irritated. People around them had started to stare, the tension in the air could be felt hovering around them.
She tried to look for Silas, but it seemed he had disappeared out of sight. Instead she saw Declan disappear into the crowd with a sour look on his face.
Kaden turned to look at her, his eyes consumed in careful thought and she wondered what he was deciding. A small tug at her stomach caught her off guard, a new force to it she had not felt and looked around trying to find the source.
“Shall we?” Kaden whispered and she turned to see his hand outstretched to her.
“You want to dance?”
“Easiest way to protect you.” He sighed, obvious it wasn’t his first choice. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you more than necessary.”
She gave him a questionable look but grabbed his hand, a tingling sensation coursing through her as their skin glided against one another. She ignored it, his arm wrapping around her backside and they started moving slowly around everyone in steady steps.
He wasn’t as good of a dancer as Silas, but for some reason she felt steadier with him.
His hold on her was strong and she oddly liked it, it made her feel more confident in the crowd.
There was no hint of panic from his touch now, but she wasn’t sure if it was because she was used to him or so overwhelmed she didn’t know how to feel.
“I’m guessing you have a different type of dancing where you are from?” He asked bluntly, his eyes glancing down at hers.
“We are not as formal, or at least we weren’t. I guess it doesn’t matter now.” She let her voice fade as she looked away from him, the familiar weight of her guilt filling her chest.
“It will always matter,” he whispered
The song ended and she glanced back up at him, curious if she just heard him correctly. His eyes were scanning the crowd, and when they narrowed suddenly, she knew who he saw. She looked to see Silas standing back in his spot she had last seen him in, his eyes watched her carefully.
She stared towards him, her mind trying to process both interactions with the males she came with and she felt her stomach churn with each step. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to acknowledge what happened earlier with Silas, or if she should pass it off as a wistful moment at a fancy party.
Silas grabbed her hand and he intertwined his fingers with hers in comfort once she got close enough. His eyes looked down at her then back to Kaden who was right behind her.
“Where did you go?” Kaden’s low voice directed towards Silas.
“One of the governors pulled me aside.” Silas shrugged.