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“T his is a very bad idea.” I shot a nervous glance towards Raena, already regretting the low-cut gown she’d convinced me to wear.

We both stood metres away from an old cobblestone building, surrounded by enough dark forest to make me shudder. Golden light spilled from its windows, while pounding music seemed to shake the walls. Or perhaps it was the sheer number of people dancing inside. Either way, I was glad I’d taken my anxiety powder before we’d left to come here.

“Nonsense! We’re perfectly safe,” Raena chuckled. Her dark curls bounced as she adjusted the top of her own peasant-style dress. “Besides, it’s about time you returned to your kingdom. Princesses aren’t supposed to spend their days cooped up in faraway palaces,” she teased. “You’re going to be a queen soon. Queens spend time with their people.”

“Not sure if sneaking out of the palace late at night to visit a Corlixin tavern counts as spending time with my people,” I laughed, but there was a nervous edge to my voice.

“Lady Raena is right, you know,” Erik added from behind her. “I hate to say it, Your Highness, but these past few weeks you’ve barely left your bedchamber.”

I glanced at the golden-haired knight. He’d warmed to me slightly after the day he’d watched me clear out an entire goblin camp using my ‘faery magic’ – more specifically a few scientific powders mixed with water. But he’d warmed to me even more after I convinced King Lukas to promote him to a knight, along with his friend, Theo.

It wasn’t easy to convince Lukas, but it was the least I could do after all the trouble I’d put the pair of guards through. Trouble I hoped was long behind us.

“Let’s do it.” I swallowed, nodding towards the bustling tavern.

“That’s the spirit, Naria,” Raena said giddily. “Or should I say ‘Nora’.” She winked. Grabbing my hands, she leaned closer. “Remember, we’re not nobles tonight. Just two village girls looking to forget about our troubles, drink copious amounts of ale, and maybe,” her voice lightened to a joking tone, “dance with a handsome blacksmith or two.”

Erik cleared his throat, making us both chuckle.

‘To forget’ would be certainly nice right now. The past few weeks had been nothing but stress, combined with a sprinkling of guilt that I hadn’t yet officially moved to Corlixir. Of course, I wanted to be with my people. Rebuilding a kingdom, even one as small as mine, takes so much effort, and it’s even harder when everything has to be communicated via letters.

But ever since that day three long months ago – when Prince Arenn appeared to me as a cat in that grassy clearing – I haven’t felt safe here. And while I hadn’t had any more invasive dreams, just the thought of him being out there was enough to make me stay within the guard-patrolled walls of the Steel Palace.

At least until tonight.

With a weak smile, I took Raena’s hand. Just for one night, I wanted to be free from kingdoms and all the responsibilities they came with. Of course, Raena was quick to offer help in the form of a surprise tavern trip – though she didn’t tell me this tavern would be in Corlixir until we’d already travelled miles on our horses.

The worst part was, I had no idea my people had built a tavern. Or that enough Corlixins had moved back from other kingdoms to make the intense noise coming from inside.

“Let’s go and forget about our troubles,” I sighed.

The interior of the tavern was even more chaotic than I’d feared. Dozens of people surrounded a huge stone bar, each of them waving empty tankards in the air or sloshing full cups, enough to make a permanent puddle of ale on the floor. In the far corner, several musicians played jaunty music to a candlelit dance floor. But the dancing was like nothing I’d ever seen before. There was no partner dancing – or at least nothing structured. Women picked up their skirts and spun freely, while others rocked their bodies to the lively strings and drums. We’d had dances in Honeymeade, back in my home village. But this was so wild. They all looked so free.

“That looks wonderful!” I called out to Raena, tugging her towards the dancers.

“Oh yes, we should dance!” Raena squealed. “But first, Erik and I have a little surprise for you.”

My eyebrows shot up. Before I could ask what she was hiding, I was pulled through the crowds towards some long tables and bench sets carved from stone. Each one was filled with far too many people and covered in tankards, but it was the table in the far corner that caught my eye first. Because seated around it, their grinning faces lit up by the soft candlelight, were Ivy, Marius, Terrence, and Theo.

“Oh Ancients above,” I beamed, squeezing through crowds to get to them. Raena laughed wildly behind me, dragging Erik along with her.

“Naria!” my friends called out as tears bubbled in my eyes.

“I can’t believe you’re all here.” I threw my arms around each of them. “Wait, how are you all here?” This visit wasn’t exactly planned, and they’d never been the type to frequent taverns – unless more things had changed in Corlixir than I’d thought.

Ivy shot Theo a shy smile as I took a seat beside her. “Your lovely knight friend paid us a visit about an hour ago with a few spare horses to make sure we arrived here before you did.” She turned back to me, a rosy blush heating her cheeks. “I thought I’d never be able to ride a horse, but he’s an excellent teacher,” she giggled.

“Clearly not that excellent, considering Ivy insisted we share my horse on the journey here,” Theo piped up, returning to his seat across the table. “Not that I minded, of course.” He winked playfully.

Ivy’s blush spread to her ears as I snorted. This tavern may have been rowdy, and the music was already starting to hurt my ears, but still, it was just what I needed. A perfect distraction from everything out there.

“Drinks, anyone?” Erik asked, and our resounding cheers roared over the music.

Hours later, our table was covered in emp ty tankards as I leaned against Ivy’s shoulder. Terrence and Marius were once again sharing the story of how they became a couple, the entire table listening intently as if they hadn’t already heard several drunken renditions that night.

“And then Terrence came back to me with a bouquet of the exact herb I needed,” Marius slurred. “And I’d almost finished making the poultice before I noticed the letter tucked inside.” He ran his hand down Terrence’s broad chest as their lips met for a brief kiss.

“How delightful,” Raena cooed. Erik sat beside her, their thighs breaths away from touching.

At one point Erik had almost put his arm around her, but he’d frozen, retracting his hand when she’d noticed and scooted towards him. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight, which earned me a glare from Erik. For a so-called fearless knight, he was certainly nervous around her.

“We should dance!” The words spilled from my heavy lips. The room was spinning, and I wanted to join it. Besides, the dance floor had cleared a little now the moon was high above the tavern.

Raena shot up from her seat. “Yes! I’ve been dying to put these gowns to good use.” She fluffed the skirt of her muted apricot gown. “Come now, Erik.”

The blushing knight almost choked on his drink when she extended a hand to him.

With a chuckle, I rose from my seat and faced my other friend. “Ivy? Care to join us?”

“Oh, um…” She hiccuped, giggling. “I might just stay here and learn more about your lovely friend.” She grinned again at Theo, who seemed just as keen to ‘learn more’ about her.

A smile tugged at my lips. “Have fun,” I laughed before turning my focus to Marius and Terr. The words I wanted to say caught in my throat as I caught them both tangled up in a knot of roaming hands and kisses. It didn’t look like they’d be up for dancing any time soon.

With the room spinning around me, I downed the last of my drink, shrugged off my cloak, and rushed after Erik and Raena to the dance floor.

It didn’t take me long to find them. Raena had claimed a spot in the centre and was swaying sensually to the music, while Erik seemed to be torn between dancing along with her and shooting murderous scowls at anyone who dared to watch.

“Come dance with me, Nora ,” Raena chimed, curling her fingers at me.

I didn’t hesitate. Picking up my rose-coloured skirts, I rushed towards her. The two of us spun in endless circles and swayed in time with the music. We sang along too, even though we didn’t know the words, but it didn’t seem to matter. Everyone was too busy having their own drunk fun to worry about anyone else.

After a dozen more songs, Erik’s confidence grew, and he took Raena’s hands to dance with her.

But I didn’t mind being alone. Not with the ale swirling my thoughts, the music in my ears, and the other dancers all around me. I spun and twirled and laughed. And I would’ve danced there all night had a rough hand not suddenly grasped my arm.

Instantly, I was stone cold sober.

“What?” I gasped, almost tripping as the stranger tugged me away from the dance floor. A dark green cloak concealed my captor’s face. When I tried to pry their hand off, they only tightened their grip.

“Stop that. Let me go.” I smacked against their arm. Panicking, I glanced back to see Raena and Erik locked in each other’s arms. They were completely engrossed in each other and unaware that a stranger had almost hauled me out of the tavern.

“I’ll scream,” I threatened. “Pull me another step and I’ll scream so loudly everyone in this building will—”

The stranger turned, and before I could protest, my back was pressed against the stone wall, the tall cloaked figure looming over me.

My breath caught. I really should’ve screamed. We were still in the tavern and I couldn’t see my captor’s face, but for some reason, I didn’t feel scared anymore. There was something familiar about the way he gripped my wrists. And that sweet smell…

My heart fluttered like a little bird.

“You better have a damn good reason for why you’re drunk and dancing alone in a tavern, forest princess.” His low warning tone made my stomach dip.

Lukas…