“Good competitors, I welcome you to Meru. May your competition be fair and victories be glorious,” Lumeria said formally.
And, with that, it was over. They stepped off to the side and Eira breathed a sigh of relief. The crowd surrounded them and the morphi were up next, following the same script.
A light tapping on her hand drew her attention. Eira half expected to see Ferro, but it was Deneya standing at her side. She felt a folded strip of paper slipped between her fingers.
“Your dance card,” Deneya said by way of explanation. “Read it, then have the Firebearer burn it. Once you finish dancing, get somewhere that Ferro will find you. We should have enough eligible men to draw him out. Once you have him, lure him back onto the dance floor. We’ll take it from there.”
“Deneya—”
“That’s all.”
Before Eira could even breathe a word on the relics or flame, Deneya was gone. Eira took the slip of paper and unfolded it. There were five names scribbled on the paper. But Eira only recognized one and the importance of the rest, Eira didn’t know. Why these people? Why did they think her spinning around on the floor would do anything?
A wave of nausea passed over her. Deneya and the Specters knew her parading would goad him. Ferro had threatened anyone who merely touched her. How could he resist her dancing the night away with a parade of eligible men? All Eira could hope for was that Deneya’s plan worked, and the Pillars didn’t have the chance to act first.
Eira folded the paper and passed it to Noelle.
“Yes?” Noelle arched her eyebrows.
“Burn it.” Eira appreciated Noelle all the more when her friend didn’t question, just took the slip of paper and, with a small flash, immolated it in a second.
All too soon, the introductions were over and with a wave of Lumeria’s hand, music filled the hall. Eira gripped her dress, hovering awkwardly. Cullen had disappeared back to his father’s side, engaged in some kind of intense discussion.
A tap on her shoulder jolted her back to the present. Eira turned, expecting to see one of the people Deneya had listed, but Alyss held out her hand.
“Would you care to dance, fair maiden?” Alyss said with a dramatic bow.
Eira bleated a laugh and the tension in her shoulders unwound some. “I would love one.”
Alyss linked their arms and led them to the dance floor. Her friend assumed the lead role, placing her palm on Eira’s hip. Eira took Alyss’s other hand and rested her right hand on Alyss’s shoulder.
“Do you remember when we first learned to dance?” Alyss said with a small smile.
“I remember bumping into everything in your room as we tried to figure out the basics from that horrible book.” Eira laughed softly at the memory. Alyss had read about a ball in one of her romance novels and promptly found an illustrated tome on how to properly dance. It was a night of much trial and error and comedy.
“Aren’t you glad we did though? Now you’re a proper vision on the dance floor.” Alyss extended her arm and Eira twirled with a laugh.
“You are the vision.” Eira beamed at her friend as they turned.
Alyss stilled.
“What is—”
Someone tapped Eira’s shoulder. She looked to see an utterly striking gentleman. He was so handsome that Eira was certain he wasn’t a shadow. She would’ve remembered a man this perfectly chiseled.
“Excuse me, Miss Landan.” He bowed. “I’m Sir Crestwall; might I cut in?” He was one of the names on the list Deneya had given her.
“Don’t let me get in your way.” Alyss released her with a wink.
The strapping gentleman with the long, dark hair and medallions pinned to his chest scooped up Eira without a moment’s hesitation. His footwork was dazzling as they spun across the dance floor. He flashed her roguish smiles, accented by the stubble across his jaw.
They’d hardly exchanged any more words than small talk before there was another tap on her shoulder. Another man introduced himself and Eira recognized the name as the next on her card. He was just as handsome as the last with a title that was a mouthful to say.
By the third gentleman, Eira was noticing a pattern. All of the men had impressive pedigrees and even more dazzling smiles. Deneya seemed to have assembled a list of the most eligible bachelors in Risen and, somehow, convinced them to dance with her. She was tempted to ask them what they’d been promised, but knew better. Nothing good would come of the inquiry.
Yet, wondering sat heavy and uncomfortable in the back of her mind. None of these menwantedto touch her. Not really. None of them would be dancing with her were it not for Deneya’s and the court’s coercion. Eira wished she could say that to the envious stares she was getting from men and women at the edge of the dance floor. She caught the other competitors whispering on a turn.
They don’t want me,Eira wanted to scream. Instead she smiled and laughed. She threw the gentlemen coquettish grins and tried to keep up with their far superior footwork as best she could.
