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At least for a moment …

His body went rigid. "Princess," he whispered, looking around. "I am not sure you should be embracing me right now. It might tarnish your reputation."

I swallowed, throat tight. The real Jaiel would have seen how worn and raw I was. He would have known to shut up and pull me closer.

But this wasn't the real Jaiel.

He was just a piece of the memory — a dream my mind conjured to help me survive whatever happened beyond those red doors on the ship.

Stepping back, I composed myself. "I apologize, Prince Kierstall. I must have tripped."

His dark brows rose and those blue eyes slipped over my face before he nodded slowly. "Well — if you are done 'tripping,' shall we dance? Unless you'd rather return to my rooms where you can 'trip' on me all you'd like?"

That was just his usual bluster. He had that rakish reputation to uphold, after all — the mask he insisted on hiding behind.

My gaze slipped to the gilded doors lining the walls of the ballroom, and a shiver ran down my spine.

They weren't from the original memory. And I'd yet to figure out why my mind put them there.

I'd searched each of them, but they all just led to an endless black ocean under a dark, cloudy sky. Often, waves stormedand crashed violently against the rocks there, as if trying to get inside. And in the distance was …

No!

I was trying to escape my fears and pain, not dwell on them.

"Should I take your silence as a no?"

I pushed the thoughts away and pasted on a cocky smile for the prince. "How about you just shut that pretty mouth of yours and dance with me?"

Jaiel smirked. "Yes, my Princess." He slid an arm around my back so one hand rested just above my ass while the other took my hand.

Warmth unfurled through me everywhere we touched, and as long as I didn't look too close, I could pretend he was real — that this whole place wasn't just a dream.

It was both the worst kind of torture and the best kind of solace.

I let out a long breath and looked up at his handsome face, letting myself savor the moment.

"You ready?"

I nodded.

At one time, dancing a waltz had terrified me. But after so many dreams spent in this ballroom with him, it had become second nature. At least inside my mind.

The music began, and Jaiel led, hand pressed gently on my back as we glided across the floor, perfectly in step.

His breath rustled my hair, sending tingles through my body, and I leaned into it — letting myself pretend the prison ship was the dream and THIS was reality.

Content, I let my head drift to Jaiel's chest.

I just wanted to hear his heartbeat. To feel it on my cheek — each thump tricking my mind into thinking it was all real. Letting the exhaustion and guilt fade away until I was left battered rather than completely broken — able to hold on for one more day.

At least until the last notes faded, and we came to a stop, the panic rising once more. How had it gone by so quickly?

Jaiel stepped back with a warm smile. "I must say, Princess — I am impressed … and curious. Are you as good in —"

"Am I as good in bed as I am at dancing?" I smirked. "Yes. But I wish you didn't have to ruin the moment by saying that. You do it every time."

"Every time?" He cocked his head.