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"No," I retorted, batting my lashes.

"Then what do you care for?" he mused.

I shot him a sharp glance, caught off guard by the unexpected question. "Why should anything I care for matter to you?" I muttered, aware of the prying eyes that had turned in our direction.

"Because you matter to me, Eliah," he asserted softly, his hand reaching for mine.

Reluctantly, I allowed him to pull me to my feet, aching in my unforgiving heels. I followed him onto the dance floor, acutely aware of the eyes of those around us.

"No one else is dancing," I lamented as he pulled me close, his hand slipping to my waist.

"Then let's give them something to look at," he said, a grin tugging at his lips, drawing me closer to him.

Trust him.

I forced a smile as Levon guided me through the dance. The chatter around us gradually faded as more couples joined in,including Edmon and Jeane, the pretty lady at the market, and Admearin and Casmir. We moved with the music, synchronized with the others, twirling and stepping in harmony until the music came to a lyrical stop, met with a round of applause as more guests joined in for the next dance.

"You're stunning," Levon whispered, his words soft against my ear as he dipped me.

"Don't think flattery will sway me from being angry with you," I countered sharply.

"No? And here I thought a little flattery and some good pastries would do the job," he remarked.

"Perhaps if you weren't so lacking in certain areas, you'd have more admirers beyond superficial things," I taunted as we parted, skillfully rounding the couple next to us before rejoining, his hand placed a bit lower than before.

"And what would it take?" His voice was a whisper against the backdrop of the rising crescendo, sending shivers down my spine and igniting a flush in my cheeks. I sucked in a breath as his hand trailed up my back, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake.

"The truth," I murmured before stepping back, leaving him standing alone amidst the other couples who ended their dance with affection. All I wanted was a drink to cool my reddening cheeks and to escape these tumultuous feelings that danced within me.

As the party drew to a close well into the night, everyone departed with tired, red eyes, yearning for sleep. I could barely muster the energy to climb the stairs to my room before collapsing onto the bed, still fully clothed.

Hours later, I awoke to find my feet aching, still cramped in heels. In the darkness, I kicked off my shoes and shimmied out of the dress, relishing the soft embrace of the sheets as I settled into bed. With a sigh of relief, I unclipped my hair, allowing it tocascade around me, before succumbing to the warm embrace of sleep.

"Eliah?" The sound of my name jolted me awake, and I was greeted by the warmth of the sun filtering through the window. I rubbed my eyes, adjusting to the light, to find Saasha gathering my dress and shoes into a large tote placed at the foot of the bed.

"Sorry for waking you, but you have a long journey ahead and haven't even packed yet," she explained softly.

"Journey?" I croaked, trying to find my voice.

"You're to leave for the King's Court," she said, questioning.

"Today?" I asked, sitting fully upright, feeling a heavy weight press into my chest.

"No one told you?" she inquired, knitting her brows together.

I rubbed my eyes again, blinking back against the light. "No, no one told me," I muttered, feeling the full weight of leaving bearing down upon me. I sat up and shifted off the bed.

Realizing I was only in my underthings, I hurried to the dresser and swiftly donned a pair of dark green pants and a black top.

"Thank you for waking me. I didn't intend to oversleep," I apologized, quickly weaving my hair into a coronet.

"Don't worry. Most of the staff did, too. Weallcelebrated last night," Saasha reassured me with a smile, deftly packing several of my clothes and dresses into the tote. I hastened to lace up my boots before assisting her with items from the vanity and dresser.

"What does one wear in front of the king?" I murmured, my gaze lingering on the dresses hanging in my armoire.

In a few days, I would be dining with King Thealor, a man I knew so little about besides the endless comments from Jesri, who constantly raved about his Court.

My mind returned to King Leonard and the Leonardian War, where all those innocent Magics were slaughtered. I hoped that I wouldn't be facing that same evil in the eyes of a descendant of a man who destroyed an entire race.