Fergus was an excellent dance partner, but I had I feeling I was going to strike out with him. No matter how sensual and dramatic I made my dance moves, his eyes never stayed on me longer than a few moments at a time. Sometimes we would stay close to Audrey and Liam, chatting about upcoming events.
Other times, I caught him staring at a couple far off to the side of the room. It wasn’t until I purposefully studied them to see what drew Fergus’s attention over there that I realized the woman’s ears were rounded, like mine and Audrey’s.
Human.
She must have been a halfling, like Audrey, if she were here.
The man, however, had pointed ears like everyone else in this realm.
The couple looked completely enthralled with each other. In their own world, while standing in a ballroom filled with people.
“Do you know them?” I asked Fergus after we joined another group dance.
He blinked before turning back to face me, “Yes.” He smiled good-naturedly. His movements were loose, and his dancing fun, but something about him felt guarded now. “They became mated this year.”
I grinned at the couple, watching the man kiss the knuckles of the woman just like Fergus had done with me. “That’s exciting.”
“It is.” Fergus nodded with a sigh, and I caught a longing look on his expression before he glanced over my shoulder. “It’s an exciting time for us. For our people.”
“Sounds like,” I replied, turning away from the nereid and halfling couple once they started kissing.
“Can I ask you something?” Fergus asked.
“Sure.”
“You made a face earlier, when I attempted to give you a compliment.” Fergus pressed his lips together. “I’m worried I offended you.”
“Oh.” I shook my head before I attempted to reassure him, “It wasn’t—It’s just—” How did I explain this?
“What specifically caused your reaction?” Fergus pressed. “I—if there is some human offense I mentioned, I want to be aware. I don’t want to offend other humans I speak to.” He seemed so earnest and genuine, too. Like he wanted to get his human interactionsjustright.
And then it clicked for me when he gave another fleeting—but clearlylonging—look toward the couple in the corner. Fergus wanted a mate. He wanted a matereallybadly.
I squeezed his hand in mine and gave him an appreciative look.
“You’re the sweetest,” I told him. Fergus gave me a nervous smirk in response, so I did my best to ease his concerns. “It’s just…” I inhaled a breath, desperate to make this as clear and simple as possible. “In my realm, I am more than what is just between my legs.” A divot formed between Fergus’s dark eyebrows as he looked down at me, so I elaborated, “Whilefemaleis technically accurate forme, I am more than that. I’m a woman.”
The divot in his brow smoothed. “It wasn’t me admiring your beauty. You took offense to me referring to you as a female, specifically?”
“But that’s the thing,” I rushed to explain. “I know thatmanandwomanaren’t really words your people say here.”
Fergus shook his head, straightening. “Manandwomanhaven’t been terms here in thousands of years, but that does not mean they never will be. Additionally, I agree with your statement. We are all more than what is between our legs, are we not?”
Fergus glanced up and turned us so we could both face the couple in the corner again. They weren’t making out anymore; instead, they were sipping drinks, deep in conversation.
“That nereid over there, while presenting outwardly as a male, has made it known that they prefer identifiers that do not shove them so tightly into a specific expectation.”
That made me smile.
“That’s encouraging to hear,” I smiled up at Fergus, who was still staring eagerly at the couple.
His smile was still on his lips, but softer. He was lost in thought as he stared at them. I concluded that Fergus was a romantic. Which made me think that he probably wouldn’t be one to quickly jump into bed with someone, but rather longed for a deeper connection, as the couple in the corner had. A mate.
I decided that I wouldn’t try to sleep with him tonight, because I wasn’t convinced all that soulmate talk was for me quite yet.
“I guess—” I stopped myself when a gasp sounded nearby, and I glanced around to see what spooked someone. Fergus’s hand tightened around mine as his head turned toward the large ballroom doors.
“Shit,” Audrey cursed from nearby. She and Liam were a few feet away, slowing the steps of their dance.
