Page 60 of The Gathering

A soft sigh left Nyssa as she set her cup down on the table behind her. “Perhaps you could describe the dance we would have had instead.”

If Nyssa wasn’t already smitten, she was about to be. Bala had heard Nadir describe things such as that many times before. She knew Nadir’s charms, though she had to admit there was something different about the way he spoke to the Princess—as if he were restraining himself from using his typically cheesy lines on her.

And when she looked over, she saw his gaze wandering over Nyssa, plotting his following words as he sat his cup beside Nyssa’s on the table.

“I—”

“That’s time,” Bala said as she pushed off the table, hoping that would maybe deter Nadir from speaking with her so out in the open.

Nadir snapped out of his daze, and his features faltered as Bala started to walk away. “What—No—Bala—wait—come on!—”

Bala looked at him over her shoulder once Nyssa had turned into him. “The hallway,” she mouthed. “Take her to the hallway.”

As Nyssa said something else, she saw Nadir sigh heavily, and she shook her head as he outwardly felt defeat.

She felt so sorry for him that she almost grabbed the pair and escorted them to the shadows of the hall herself.

Bala chatted with Hagen and a few of his people for a while. Draven joined Aydra on the dance floor, and their display sent the room into another standstill.

As it should have.

The Sun Queen declaring her love for her adversary King was sure to bring down the entire realm, yet the look on Draven’s face when Aydra had kissed him made Bala tear up.

“Fuck,” she cursed as she wiped her eyes.

Hagen squeezed her shoulder, and she realized he also had a glisten in his eyes.

“He’s been waiting a long time for that,” Hagen said.

“He has,” she agreed.

She stayed to chat with him a little longer, but as she did, she kept feeling eyes on her. She knew exactly who it was, though she wondered why the Belwark had only stopped to chat with her the once.

Every time she caught her gaze, her thighs tightened.

A few of the Blackhands tried to get her to dance with them, but Bala wasn’t keen on it. She was having too much fun mingling with everyone. After another hour, she realized Nyssa and Nadir were still talking on the opposite side of the room. She contained her excitement as she snuck up on them, intent on hearing what Nadir was saying to her still.

“I want to know what it would have been like,” Nyssa was saying. “As if I’d been any other woman you would have liked to take in your bed.”

“What like if I’d been wooing one of the Dreamers or Blackhands?” Nadir asked.

“Yes.”

Bala took a long sip of her drink, arms crossing over her chest as she eagerly listened.

“First, I would have introduced myself as the greatest Commander the Honest army has ever had—”

Nyssa snorted. "The greatest Comman— I'm sorry, you were speaking. Please continue.”

Nadir took a pause, and Bala chanced a glance over to see Nyssa smiling up at him as though he was the only person in the room, as if the rest of the world had simply melted away around them, and they were the last left in existence.

“—boasted about the last battle we fought, knowing you knew little of the war but hoping you would be impressed by my bravery. Eventually, I'd have complimented your beauty, telling you how your eyes glowed in the fires, how it reminded me of the Eyes festivals we have back at the Umber where we have these huge bonfires on the beach, and we dance all night beneath the bright twin moons. You would have eaten another pastry after I insisted you needed something sweet to match the delicacy of your aura—”

Nyssa snorted again.

His brow elevated, and she muttered a quick "Sorry" to him as he shifted his weight, coming to a slight hover over her, his fingertips grazing against her hands.

Bala waited for it.