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Overwhelmed by the Queen’s words and the many reminders of her past tonight, her mood finally crashed into the darkest part of her soul, bleeding into every memory and sparking her flames.

Maude’s fingertips danced with her fire.

The dances, the savagely polite conversation, the gowns, the excess in everything from jewels to food.

Maude missed the small rooftops of Logi, where she had felt free and watched only by the moon and the stars every night. Going through the breathing exercises Gunnar had taught her when they had been traveling, Maude tried to imagine she was still just a pit fighter.

Breathing in through her nose, she went through all the phases of grounding herself.

Choosing the music to grasp onto, Maude centered herself on the melody and how it made her feel.

The pianist was gently moving through a slow composition; the rapid and leisurely notes brought to life by each hand blending into a heartbreaking tragedy that allowed Maude to slip back into herself.

Feeling her fire dim, Maude looked out to where the dancers were and felt the music move through her as the melody ended.

The last of the dancers had begun preparing for the final dance of the night, causing Maude to feel a tiny spark of jealousy ignite in her.

The last dance was always a fast-paced movement that she had loved to be a part of; the group moving in time with each other like a live beating heart.

She had declined every offer to dance tonight, uncomfortable with the thought of a stranger's hands on her body in this foreign kingdom.

The memory of solid and callused hands running over her waist and under her thighs flashed in her mind quickly before she banished the thoughts.

Continuing her slow advance through the guests, her eyes returned to the dancers .

Maybe she was a little disappointed that she hadn’t gotten to dance once tonight.

Her gown looked best when she was spinning, as the Royal Seamstress had explained to her, having made her spin in place, much to Maude’s annoyance.

She had helped the Royal Seamstress design her gown, wanting it to be as strong as she was but also show a more feminine side she never got to reveal anymore.

The tight leather bodice fit her perfectly, accenting the flames on her arms in a tasteful way, while the skirts flowed around her like she was wreathed in starlight.

The slit up her leg had been her idea, allowing her long legs to occasionally be on display while also allowing her to strap her dagger to her thigh in a way that was easy to reach.

The slit also allowed her full range of motion should she need to move quickly tonight or fight.

In her case, the latter was possible only because she tended to aggravate most people just by being herself. Herrick could attest to that.

The air stirred behind her, Maude sensing him before he spoke. His scent of rain-soaked earth hovered behind her shoulder. Strong hands reached out and brushed her long hair aside, revealing the long oval-shaped slit that started at the back of her neck and ended at the small of her back.

Gyda had wanted to pin Maude’s hair behind her head to expose the back of the gown, but Maude had been a coward and told them to leave her hair down instead.

Herrick's fingers traced the phases of the moon inked on her spine. His touch was soft as he followed their path down to where the opening in the back of the bodice met again.

He spoke quietly in her ear, “Dance with me.”

Maude swallowed and controlled her voice before answering. “No.”

“Because it’s me?” he asked, moving to stand at her side.

“I don’t have to give you a reason,” Maude said, keeping her voice even .

“Of course not, but you’re staring at the dancers with such yearning, I can’t allow you to stay put any longer,” Herrick said, his charming smile sliding into place as he faced her.

“I don’t yearn to dance,” Maude grumbled.

“I disagree. I know you, minn eldr ,” Herrick said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the last dance of the night.

Herrick placed his hand on her waist, pulling her close as he adjusted his grip on her hand. Maude gripped his shoulder as he began leading them into dance, a chaotic and sensual number requiring close contact and fast movement.

Having always had trouble with allowing her partner to lead, Maude often stepped on Herrick’s feet in her unconscious attempt to control their movements.

To Maude’s great surprise, Herrick adjusted to her pace and allowed her to steer their movements.

The complex plucking of the musicians' strings moved the dancers into a frenzy, the overlying passionate melody providing freedom in movement that kindled a fire inside Maude as she moved with Herrick.

They were beginning to circle toward the gardens the ballroom opened into.

“You don’t really know me, though, Herrick,” Maude said, keeping her eyes facing forward.

She could feel the corner of his mouth brush hers with how close they were required to stand for this dance.

The couples circling each other in the dance all stopped moving at once as the music halted for a moment.

Maude, forgetting the next part in her distraction, almost yelped when Herrick moved his hand down her side to grip her thigh that was exposed by the slit in her dress.

In one fluid movement, he brought her knee up around his hip and gripped her tighter to lift her slightly off the ground.

As one, the dancers spun with their partners held in their grip .

Herrick completed the turn, gently placing Maude back on the floor before he grasped her hand once more.

Remembering the next steps now, Maude raised her arm, which was in Herrick's grip, and allowed him to spin her once before putting her back to his front. Herrick’s hands wound their way around Maude, and they began to move in time again to the rhythm that had become impossibly faster than before.

“I think I know you better than you realize,” he responded, his breath grazing her ear. “I know you pretend to have a disdain for events like this but enjoyed dressing yourself as calculated as you would have for a battle.”

Maude allowed herself to be spun once by Herrick, facing him again, his expert timing taking over her control.

She let it slip from her grasp.

Along with the other dancers, they weaved through the ballroom to the fast-paced music.

“I know that you are armed at this moment,” Herrick continued.

Herrick began to lead their movement as he dipped her.

Maude’s hair spilled out from underneath her, creating a waterfall the color of deep red wine.

Instinct had her kick her knee up again to brace herself against Herrick.

He ran his hand down her side again and down her thigh, moving upward when his calloused palms met skin.

She was about to protest when he reached for her dagger strapped to her thigh, running his thumb under the band that kept her knife in place toward her center. Maude shivered.

He withdrew his hand as he stood them both up again and rejoined the dancers. Her heart was beating in time to the chaotic music, and Maude was unable to tell if they were moving with the dancers or with her rapid pulse.

“I know you are enjoying this dance,” Herrick said with a smirk.

He supported Maude as she executed a series of spins that ended abruptly as Herrick caught her by the waist, her arms still raised above her head.

Herrick pulled her closer to him as he lifted her into the air and spun them with the dancers.

Maude's hands landed on his shoulders before she slid down Herrick’s front, feeling every hard plane of his muscular body.

They stared at each other for a half moment before they launched into the complicated next steps.

The speed of the music increased, filling Maude with such intense emotion as she continued moving with Herrick, the only person who seemed to see through her bullshit.

When she finally looked into his golden brown eyes, she saw the same intense emotion reflecting back at her, causing her breath to catch in her throat as it swelled.

“I know you push everyone away when you think they get too close. I know you are lonely, but you are terrified of letting someone else in.”

He spun her again.

“I know that you keep six feet of space between you and anyone who dares come close enough because you think you are dangerous. I know that you think the Kingdom of Flame is better off without you. I know that you are trying to outrun your fate,” Herrick said, voice thick with that emotion she had been feeling, too.

“Because you feel like you’ve never had a choice. ”

Maude stopped their spin abruptly and dropped into a crouch, her leg shooting out to the side in a half crouch as the other partners did. Herrick pulled Maude up by her wrists before launching them into the final steps of the dance, their faces brushing close enough to feel his breath on her face.

“But you have a choice with me, Maude. You can choose to let me in. You can choose us,” he said as the music built up into a crescendo, her emotions building with it.

“Please stop,” Maude whispered.

They continued to dance, finally entering the gardens that had darkened in the late hour.

Lanterns hung around the perimeter of the dancers, casting dying light onto the last of the guests watching the final movements of the electric composition closing the night, the scent of hyacinth and lavender heavy in the air.

“I know that no matter what I do, I cannot stay away from you, minn eldr ,” Herrick finished. “And I’m tired of pretending like I can.”

Maude took a moment to understand what he was saying. The music was building, the dancers continuing to move to the sensual and chaotic beat, but Maude felt like the world was moving in slow motion as the number finally came to a crashing finish.