“When do you want to start this plan?” Len asked.
Reece sobered. “Not this moon. For this opening ceremony, we should focus on observing and keeping up appearances. The new-moon is when it will all begin."
Trusting Reece knew what he was talking about, I got right on board with that plan—tonight, I was still going to have my dance. Pushing to my feet, I moved around to help Mera up as well. “Dance time?” she said, already bopping to the beat.
“Yes,” I replied, leaning toward her ear. “Battle starts tomorrow in the new-moon, which means I still have this moon for dancing.”
“Woohoo!” she shouted, pumping her fist and drawing attention. “Let’s get over there.”
A new beat started, and now I was the one about to fist pump. “This is my favorite song and dance,” I said in a rush.
Reece, who was on his feet as well, crossed his arms over his broad chest, drawing my attention to all the visible skin. “You still remember theDeduna Lalita?"
"Every beat and every step," I replied, managing to focus on his face again.
Before he could distract me further, I linked my arm through Mera’s, and together we made our way to the hard flooring. We weren’t the only ones there either, with many of the dynasties having finished their food already.
“Do you know all the dances?” Mera asked.
I shook my head. “Not a chance. There are hundreds, but I definitely know my favorites.”
“I wish I could dance it with you,” she said when we reached the edge of where the Desertlandians were already gathered. “But I want you to have so much”—she coughed, and I could have sworn she saidcockbefore she cleared her throat and finished with—“fun. Have so much fun.”
I barely managed to hold in my laughter. “You’re the fucking worst,” I said, “but I love you.”
“I love you too.” She gave me a shove. “Now go and enjoy your dance.”
Stepping toward the crowds gathered for the Deduna Lalita, I let the familiar beat clear my mind and spirit. Reece had seemed surprised that I remembered the steps, but how could I ever forget? He had taught me this dance, as he had so many of their customs here.
He’d brought me into this world, and it was his fault I’d fallen in love with it.
Part of me would always belong to the Desert Lands, and this was my chance to feel it all. A chance I was not wasting. Even if I danced this alone, nothing was stopping me from entering the Deduna Lalita… The Long Dream.
21
The intro to The Long Dream went on for many minutes, giving everyone time to partner up. This was the sort of dance where dynasties mixed and mate-bonds were formed. It didn’t really matter what partner you started with since you would switch every fifteen steps in a swirl of melody and beat.
Since I was displaying the "unmated" chain on my wrist, it took no time for a male in a gold tunic from the sands of Crani to step up and offer his hand. He had dark brown skin, deep grey eyes, and a long straight nose. He wasn’t much taller than me, his shaved head almost equal in height to the red scarf across my crown.
"Would you care to partner?" he asked in his native tongue.
"It would be my pleasure," I replied.
His smile was broad, teeth slightly crooked but not unattractively so. When I took his hand, there was a slight flare as our energy collided, but other than that, nothing else sparked.
Desertlandians only touched during their dances, as cautious as every other world with sharing energy, and it was considered very bad form to draw on any of your partner’s lifeforce while moving about the dance floor.
The Crani male swirled me closer, moving us into the starting position where we faced each other. Over his shoulder, I saw a broadly smiling Mera, and when our eyes met, she mouthedhell yeswhile waggling her eyebrows. There was nothing subtle about my best friend, but I didn’t care.
Turning back to my new partner, I found his gaze locked on my face. Unlike when Reece focused his attention on me, the Crani’s intensity didn't stir butterflies in my stomach or leave my chest tight and uncomfortable.
"My name is Hectar," he said, "and despite the fact that you wear the color of my least favorite dynasty, you're too beautiful for me to hold that against you."
That got a smile out of me as I switched my dialect to another that I expected he would know. "My name is Angel, and I'm just borrowing these colors. My heritage is Honor Meadows."
His eyes widened. "No wings?"
"Not anymore," I replied softly, and then thankfully, the beat started to pick up as the song moved past the intro. After that, there was no time for talking because if you lost focus, you'd lose your steps just as fast.
