Chapter 22 #3
My silence seems to be answer enough for him, his light sigh brushing against my cheek as he exhales.
“Pretend it’s just me and you. Take a deep breath and look at me,” he instructs, and reluctantly I do.
His blue eyes shimmer in the candlelight, and now I’m looking at him I find it impossible to look away.
“Listen to the music, hear the highs and lows, the melody as our bodies move across the floor. Feel the warmth of my hand on your waist, of how close we are. My movements leading you, passing fluidly from me, to you, so in sync that we are as one.”
His voice has dropped low and I find it completely mesmerising as he whisks me away to another world.
What would it be like if everyone else in the room disappeared and it was just the two of us?
Funnily enough, the watching nobility do seem to fade away, my steps becoming smoother as he leads me into a spin.
The amethysts in my dress seem to sing in agreement, their song lulling me further into the dream that he is describing.
I can’t help but fantasize of that place, where the two of us could actually build a life together without the consequences or responsibilities weighing on us.
It brings up an interesting thought. In another life, if we weren’t who we are, would we still be drawn together like we are now?
“See?” He whispers and I can hear the smugness in his voice. “You are dancing without even thinking about it.”
Of course, him pointing this out instantly breaks my focus and I stumble the next step.
Thankfully he holds me up and I doubt anyone noticed my slip up.
He’s right though. I wasn’t thinking about the people around us or what move came next, but the press of our bodies and instinctively picking up his signals.
“That is because of your leading skills, not me.” I have absolutely no doubt that if it was anyone else I was dancing with, one of us would already be on the floor.
In reality, it’s because when Amir and I are together like this I can switch off, trusting that I am safe with him.
So much of my focus in life has been simply to survive to the next day, taking up so much space in my mind.
When that part of me is gone, it allows for room to grow, to expand my horizons. To dream.
Ignoring my previous comment his eyes scan my face, his smile becoming full of awe. “You look stunning tonight, like a true princess.”
What little girl didn’t want to grow up as royalty and have a handsome prince call her beautiful? Everything he’s saying makes me forget who I am, my heart becoming dangerously attached to him. That’s a dangerous thought, I need to get a grip on this before I do something stupid.
Shaking my head, I clear my throat, choosing to deliberately misunderstand his comment. “You should thank whoever had this dress made. The craftsmanship is like nothing else I have ever seen.”
“The dress is lovely,” he agrees with a nod, amusement flickering across his face, “but I was referring to you.” Expression changing, he stares at me intently. “You are radiant.”
How in the gods name do I reply to that?
No one has ever spoken about me like this before, especially not a prince.
My first instinct is to push the compliment away and dismiss it as polite conversation.
Amir will have seen many beautiful women over the course of his life and I am sure many of them more so than me.
However, I get the feeling he’s not just complimenting my looks, but who I am, the fragile soul within me.
I don’t know how to feel. My first instinct is to run, to cut my losses and separate myself from this man who makes me want to change. A warring part of me wants to bask in his praise, to take this further and see what could happen between us…
This man is going to get me into trouble.
I will probably regret it later, but for now I allow myself to fall into his gaze, completely awestruck.
The song comes to an end and I am abruptly reminded of where we are.
Perhaps this was a sign from the gods that this is a terrible idea.
While I am sad our dance has come to an end, I might have just been saved from myself.
Holding back a sigh, I take a step back and begin my curtsy, knowing that it’s my duty to dance with whoever asks thanks to the explanations given to me in my earlier lesson.
Tonight, I shall be passed around like a shiny new toy, and although this ball is meant to honour me, really it gives the men in the room a chance to see the new woman on the market.
That is exactly how they are watching me, as something to barter for. It makes me want to vomit.
Amir’s hand lands on my arm, catching my hand and stopping me in my tracks.
“Your highness?” I ask questioningly. What is he doing? Everyone is watching us and we are only adding fuel to the fire.
He smiles and pulls me back into his hold. Landing with a thud against his chest, a gasp quietly, staring up at him in shock. “Dance with me again, Lady.”
I want to do exactly that, and maybe that’s why he’s doing this, but this is going against what the Madame taught me.
What would Caleb think? Surprisingly, knowing that my friend would disapprove doesn’t stop me from wanting this.
Upsetting everyone else at the ball as my first appearance as ‘Lady Kiara’ does not seem like a good idea though.
I lean in closer and lower my voice. “I was told that-”
“Yes, I’m breaking the rules here, but I’m the prince, I can do what I like.
” He grins at me, nodding toward the musicians to begin playing the next song.
It soon fills the room and Amir pulls me into another dance.
Fitting against him as though I was made to be there, my legs begin following his steps without me realising what I am doing.
“Plus,” he continues, “it saves you from the pack of wolves baying to get their hands on you.”
His description of the lords is so apt that I chuckle, dipping my head slightly to hide my rosy cheeks. “That’s very kind of you.”
“It’s a selfish motivation I’m afraid,” he teases. “I find that I don’t want anyone else dancing with you but me.”
My heart flutters in my chest. He’s just saying it, there is no true meaning behind his words. Is there? Even so, I return his grin. “I don’t think even the prince could manage that.”
Our feet seem to float above the floor as we dance, around and around, the songs slowly morphing into one another.
Honestly, we aren’t really listening to the music, just using it as a because to keep dancing.
The audience watching us have broken up now, having gotten bored, some of whom have joined us on the dance floor with their own partners.
We have broken protocol and many of the guests will probably think us rude, yet no one dares interrupt due to who we are.
How long will Amir keep me dancing for? As much as I would like to, we cannot ignore everyone for the entire night.
Our conversation has ebbed and flowed naturally and we are dancing in comfortable silence, holding each other closely.
I am going to have to say something to him, as I think he is perfectly happy to continue annoying the nobility.
Lifting my head from his shoulder, I meet his curious gaze and whet my lips. However, a shadow falls over us, bringing us to an abrupt stop.
“May I cut in?”
The mark on my back burns and a familiar tingling sensation covers my body from head to toe. Although his voice has been altered somehow, I immediately know who is asking to dance with me.
Kit.
A demon has attended the ball.