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“Oh bullshit, you love dancing! Every time you whine and whine,”––El dropped her voice low in mock stupidity––“‘No, El,please no, I hate dancing’, and then you’re always the last one out there cutting a rug.”

Byrgir and I laughed as Crow gave in, rising and stepping in front to lead El to the dance floor. “Fine!” he snapped. “Just don’t step on my damn toes.”

“How dare you!” El gasped in exaggerated shock. “I never step on your toes! I am an excellent dancer!” Her voice rose in pitch in her fervent denial as they moved onto the dance floor.

“Maybe you would be if you ever danced sober! But you get fuckin’ hammered and expect me to drag you through every gods damned step…” Crow’s full response was lost to the music and stomping of feet as they reached the dance floor.

“I like her,” I said to Byrgir.

“I knew you would. She’s pretty impossible not to like.”

His eyes were still on the pair as they danced. That familiar stab of jealousy twisted in my gut, and I turned away from him, looking back down at my nearly empty mug. I had no grounds to feel like this. No knowledge of their history, no proof of any past intimacy between them. And even if I did, Byrgir had the right to be with anybody he wanted. I had no ownership over him, and he owed me nothing. We were just friends.

“Dance with me?” His voice broke me from my reverie.

I looked up to see him holding a hand out to me.

“Come on, it was fun last time, right?” he asked.

I took his hand and smiled, remembering that Litha evening, dancing and laughing together, before it all went wrong.

“It was fun last time,” I said, and he led me to the dance floor.

The inside of my chest glowed, and my head swam from the alcohol. My waist was crackling lightning where Byrgir’s hand occasionally rested. We spun and stepped, twirling about the dance floor. As the tempo increased and the feet of dancers pounded, I reveled in Byrgir’s closeness, the warm spice scent ofhim. It helped keep the sadness at bay. We stepped in time with the tune, moving with increasing vigor.

I couldn’t help but laugh as Byrgir spun me in close, twirling me into him with an expression of mock importance and seriousness, as if he were part of a royal court dancing at a ball. Then he wrapped an arm behind me and dipped me low over his leg. I was swept up, weightless in his grip, as we grinned at one another.

I followed his lead, and for a moment we waltzed around the dance floor with an air of stately confidence. We locked eyes and both laughed, falling back into the fast-swinging step of the music. I was elated to be in Byrgir’s arms, to move like this with him again. I forgot it all. Forgot Eilith, forgot the attack on our home, the sight of Garmr crushing that man’s throat, the taste of blood hot in my mouth. I was safe here. Safe with him.

“You’ve gotten better since last time,” I teased.

“I’m not as drunk this time!” he joked. “Or wait, maybe I’m more drunk?”

I laughed. “Does drinking improve one’s dancing skills?”

“Usually. You haven’t noticed?”

“I only ever dance drunk, so I don’t know if I’m better sober.”

He laughed. “Fight better sober, dance better drunk. That’s my rule.”

“That’s not a rule, it’s just a thing that you do.”

“Alright I was lying, you caught me –– I fight better drunk too,” he joked. “Which reminds me, we need to get you in the training ring tomorrow.”

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Even after this?”

“Oh yes, Little Lamb. Especially after this!” He spun me fast and pulled me back in close.

The hour grew late and the dance floor became less and less crowded as dancers either left or became too intoxicated to continue. We spun and whirled until I could hardly keep upanymore. Finally, we flopped down at our table at the end of an upbeat song and clapped for the band. El and Crow were already there. El’s face was even more red than usual after all the dancing.

“Do you still want to visit the river?” Byrgir asked me, leaning closer.

“Now?” I asked. “It’s really late.”

“It’s beautiful at any time,” he said. “And I promised you last night we’d go see it today.”

“Alright, lead the way then, tour guide. Do you two want to come?” I asked El and Crow.