Page 70 of As Above, So Below

“When does the dancing start?” I ask, dreading the answer.

“Right now,” Eve laughs as she grabs my hand, pulling me through the group toward a space that is beginning to clear as other pairs fall into a large circle.

As I stumble along behind Eve, Opal retrieves the glass from my hand. She and the others laugh as Eve drags me toward the growing formation of dancers.

“I’ve been told that I need to dance with you first,” she says, tossing a glance over her shoulder.

I give her a confused glance and she mouths a name.Druka.

I purse a frown. Of course.

Druka must be watching through Eve’s eyes, a shadowed and silent spectator from the corners of her mind. The music shifts into a lively tune, and faces turn toward Eve and me again as they position themselves around us. It’s then that I realize Eve and I are the northernmost pair in the circle.

Those not interested in dancing moved to the outside of the formation, congregating in small pockets where they continue their conversations. Their eyes remain in our direction, waiting for the dancing to begin.

Eve rests one of her hands on my hip, holding my hand with the other. “Place your hand on my shoulder, and just follow as best you can. This isn’t anything as formal as a solstice dance—it’s more about feeling the music and the joy of the moment,” she explains with a grin.

Her explanation doesn’t clarify things at all.

Everything I’ve read indicates mortal dancing is a structured, metered series of steps set to music. Rigid and counted motions with a partner more for grace and beauty than actual enjoyment. Such dances also exist in the hells, and I’m not fond of those either.

Drawing in a deep breath, I rest my hand upon Eve’s shoulder and tilt my chin up to meet her eyes. For the first time, I realize exactly how tall Eve is. Aside from that, she’s beautiful—no wonder Druka chose her.

A sharp pang of jealousy shoots through my chest, one that I spare no time crushing. I’ve no right to be jealous; it’s been centuries since I’ve seen her last. Eve continued speaking while I lost myself briefly in my thoughts, but her laughter draws me out of my reverie.

“We will go around the circle for one full rotation before you’re passed to the next partner. The process repeats until you’ve dancedwith everyone. You’ll have a full grasp on the dance after a rotation or two.”

Swallowing hard, I nod nervously.

Hopefully, what I missed wasn’t important.

I open my mouth, wanting her to repeat the first part of what she’d said, but I’m jerked to the right as the dance starts. Eve takes off in a sweeping, galloping pace, dragging me along with her. Her feet bounce in time with the music, while I run to keep up with her, stumbling over my robes and terrified of having my feet stepped on.

Eve pulls me closer with a laugh. “You have to skip. You’ll fall on your face tripping on your robes otherwise,” she says and I attempt to bounce in time with her.

It takes me a second, and I feel utterly stupid, truly foolish—but I manage to find my footing as we continue. Halfway through the rotation, the movements needed to keep in time with the music become clear. Eve had been right, this was going to be a fast moving dance. I’d be lucky to have thirty seconds with each partner.

I settle in and draw in a deep breath.

I can handle this.

The garden, the lights, and other dancing pairs whirl about me at a dizzying speed, my unbound hair flying across my face. There’s laughter, the sound of bouncing feet and billowing robes intermixing with the music.

“You ready?” Eve asks and I give her a look of concern. “It’s time to pass you along. I’ll find you after the Weaving to show you to your room. Have fun tonight, Vestaris.”

Eve smoothly passes me to the next person who seamlessly places their hands where Eve’s had been. I’m now dancing with a human woman whose blond hair is as unruly as my own. Her green eyes sparkle with excitement.

I rest my hand upon her shoulder as we keep moving.

“May her light illuminate your heart, Vestaris,” the woman greets with an even-toothed smile. “I’m Nicola.”

This trend continues with each new partner, each one greeting me with a blessing sentiment and then introducing themselves.There will be no way I can remember them all, not in the mere seconds we spend together.

As the night rolls on, I find myself laughing and smiling along with each dance partner. My face begins to hurt from how much I had been grinning. My hair now a windswept mess, I grow breathless, but I continue dancing anyway.

Some time later, as the festivities begin to wind down, I’m passed to my last partner for the evening. Turning my face with a smile ready to greet them, my breath hitches in my throat as my eyes meet theirs.

Amused hazel eyes lock onto mine and the stunning red-haired fae female laughs her greeting. She has to be the same female from earlier—the one racing across the hall in excitement with the fae male trailing behind her.