Chapter 38 #2
“Gods, no.” I laugh, tucking the loose strands behind my ear.
Ren stands a few feet behind us. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my family very much, but we remain isolated in the mountains.
It’s beautiful here and much warmer than the freezing temperatures up north.
I’m afraid I’ve been struck with the incessant need to stay in Alvonia. ”
“I see,” he mutters, then quickly grabs us both a glass of wine from one of the housemaidens passing by. “Here’s to running away when life sucks.” He holds up his glass, handing me mine.
His brazen words catch me off guard, and before I can stop myself, a genuine, carefree laugh escapes me.
With a grin tugging on the corners of my mouth, I raise my glass and clink it against his.
His eyes widen slightly, watching me with curiosity.
A flicker of something unreadable passes through them before he takes my empty glass and hands it off to another passing housemaiden.
“Would you like to dance?” He scans my face, extending a hand for mine.
A nervous look is thrown over my shoulder, finding Ren’s annoying smirk from behind me, and I clench my jaw as he gives me a curt nod. He’s clearly not saving me from what’s going to be a catastrophic embarrassment on my part. I finally turn to face Ekrin, who patiently waits for my answer.
I sigh. “I’m going to be honest—I haven’t danced in a long time. I’m afraid I’m not very good.” He only grins and grasps my hand anyway, tugging me behind him as he walks toward the center of the ballroom.
“I’ll teach you. I won’t take no for an answer,” he says over his shoulder.
He elegantly twirls me, and I quickly end up in his arms while he clasps my hand, the other resting on his chest as we fall into an easy rhythm. The music is soft, yet loud enough so that others can’t hear our conversation should they pry, which I gather they’ll do given how many are staring.
“I hope this isn’t too forward,” he mutters, gazing down at me. “But… you’re incredibly beautiful. Especially your eyes—they’re mesmerizing. It’s no wonder your aunt and uncle hide you in the mountains.”
A genuine flush reaches my cheeks. “And I’m sure you’ve said that to many of the ladies in Alvonia, but don’t think I haven’t noticed how you’ve hardly even spoken about yourself. What’s it like being Duke of Alvonia?”
His brows lower, a grave expression settling over his features as he thinks about his answer.
“Honestly?” he asks, and I nod. “I hate it. My parents had me toward the tail end of their life, and after they died, the title was immediately passed down to me. It was a responsibility I knew was coming but secretly hoped wouldn’t.”
I frown, suddenly finding myself thinking about my abrupt responsibility to Aurelia.
How I’ve had this unwavering feeling of wanting to flee in every direction, but also toward it.
It’s been a struggle, knowing I should go while also having this urge to remain in Elderheim…
until recently. Now the feeling of wanting a life with Rydian tugs at me, even if it means claiming Aurelia as mine.
“I know the feeling,” I mutter. “How do you do it? How do you go into something you’re unsure you want but know people are counting on you to claim it?”
“I don’t. Not really, anyway. I manage by tucking myself away in my studies with my head down, doing as King Elion wants,” he says and spins me again. “I thought you said you weren’t good at dancing.”
“You make it easy.” I smile, realizing that he’s right because I haven’t tripped once. “Is that why you haven’t married, because you’ve been busy with your studies?”
“So you’ve heard. Not surprising, I guess.” He chuckles, his chin grazing the edge of my temple.
“It’s hard not to, given how the court talks,” I reply.
“But I can’t help but be curious as to why someone as striking as you hasn’t married yet.
You’re a male in power and have so many ladies groveling at a chance to be your duchess, yet you remain unmarried.
Or have you just been blissfully unaware of how everyone stares at you tonight? ”
He gazes down at me. “They’re not staring at me.”
My face heats as I glance around the room again, realizing that most gazes are fixed on me dancing with the duke of Alvonia, including King Elion. He twirls me back into his arms again, catching Ren’s hardened stare from across the room.
“Have you ever been in love?” I ask.
“I have, though that relationship is long gone. We were young, but she was also my first love at the age of thirteen. When the ban was put in place, she was forced from the realm,” he explains, and my breath catches as I realize that she must have been Shadovar.
“I see you’ve heard the recent rumors,” he says, pulling me closer by my waist, mumbling under his breath.
“I’m curious, though. Do you know what power I hold, Sensa?
” His voice is low. Knowing he speaks of the Aetheri magic, I shake my head.
“I’m an Herb Weaver. As you know, Herb Weavers have this intense connection to the land and the plants that thrive in the realm, but with that comes my overwhelming, heightened sense of smell.
It’s much stronger than most, allowing me to detect poisons and unfamiliar scents—blood, even.
My familial line does, anyway. The Highcrest line. ”
“I didn’t know that,” I mumble, wondering where this is going.
“Surprisingly, not many do. It’s fascinating, especially when I come across something I’ve never scented before, like the rich black orchid I got off of you,” he explains, and I stiffen against him.
“So, you can understand my surprise when I realized it was you who stole those documents out of my study.”