Page 39 of The Immortal’s One (Bound to the Immortals #1)

“You’re doing great.” Lome guides me into a quick spin. The fabric of my gown billows, then he pulls me back into his arms, steady and strong. “Ignore everyone else.”

I scoff under my breath, “Easier said than done.”

The room is too big, brimming with too many pairs of eyes that watch my every move. I knew there were more than just the Original Nine, but the sheer number of people here, finely dressed and elegant, with every movement polished to perfection, stuns me.

They crowd the edges of the ballroom, every one of them trying to steal a glimpse of me as Lome leads me across the dance floor.

They’re intrigued by the news that Des found his One, I remind myself. Remember to prove them wrong.

“Just keep smiling.” Lome keeps his voice light, tilting his head respectfully to a man and woman waltzing next to us.

“I’ve been smiling so much my cheeks are about to cramp,” I grit out, following his lead as we dance. “I look like a spaz. ”

The woman twirling in the pair beside us glances over, her eyes flicking between me and Lome.

“You look marvelous,” Lome says, winking at me. “I’m the envy of every man here.”

“ Ahem .” I tilt my head toward Thane and Bella.

The husband and wife were the first to take the floor after dinner, and they haven’t left since. The two glide across the floor now, lost in their own world, gazing at each other with so much adoration it should be sickening. But instead, my heart swells.

“Thane?” Lome chuckles, shaking his head. “He doesn’t count. My brother’s been a hopeless sap since he met that woman.”

Thane sweeps Bella into a smooth spin, their bodies moving in perfect rhythm, as if there’s no one else in the room.

They really are cute.

“But as I was saying…” Lome’s voice breaks through my thoughts. He leads me into a quick step change, a seamless move. “You’re the star of this show.”

His eyes flick to the right.

I follow his gaze and make eye contact with each Immortal I see. Most glance away when they notice my attention, but one’s stare noticeably remains.

Charmian.

The Original Immortal stands with effortless grace, wearing a lovely tan gown made of fabric that shimmers with nature itself, delicate pastel flowers creeping up the bodice like vines.

She looks like a garden nymph, so serene, and she’s staring at me.

Not with malice but with something more inscrutable .

Her expression is warm but… calculating, too. A quiet kind of contemplation that sends a shiver up my spine.

Lome continues to guide me across the floor, sidestepping a pair of dancers when I nearly stumble. But my mind doesn’t leave Charmian. I lose her in the crowd, but not before remembering her other ability.

Charmian is psychic. Bella called her clairvoyant .

A knot coils in my stomach. There’s something in the way Charmian watched me, something in her stillness that makes me uneasy.

I don’t want to know what she’s thinking.

I don’t want to know what she sees . Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not something I’m ready for. I have enough problems to deal with.

My gaze slides back to Lome, zeroing in on the base of his throat. My mind runs through all that’s transpired this evening, and what I have left to do.

Dinner went off without a hitch.

Despite the pressure of the countless eyes staring at me, I somehow managed to remember all my etiquette training.

I ate the pot roast and various multicultural side dishes—each representing the regions where lesser Immortals live—without embarrassing myself.

If I weren’t so jittery, I might have even enjoyed it.

When dinner came to an end, the party shifted to the ballroom. A new round of revelry began, the music swelling and the laughter rising in tune.

There will be dancing and drinks for at least another couple of hours. And then everyone will go to the gardens for a closing concert under the bright night sky.

That’s when Adir and I are supposed to enact our… plan .

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Lome’s soft murmur pulls my eyes up. His expression holds a hint of regret .

“You didn’t.” I was uncomfortable the moment Des and I appeared outside the dining room, decorated with twinkling fairy lights, sweet-smelling pine trees adorned with garland and ornaments decorating each corner. “I’m just not a fan of this much attention.”

Des had stayed by my side during the meal, though we didn’t speak. It was part of our plan. We didn’t want anyone watching us to see our interactions and make incorrect assumptions about our relationship.

But I have to admit, our silence seemed to elicit more gossip than if we had at least asked the other to pass a butter dish.

But what’s done is done.

After the meal, Des reluctantly escorted me into the ballroom. But the second my feet hit the polished wood floor, he excused himself, and I was left to fend for myself.

That’s when Lome appeared.

The good-natured Immortal has kept me company ever since, and I appreciate his concern more than he knows.

“They don’t mean to stare.” Lome shrugs as he twirls me once more. “They are understandably curious about the beautiful young woman my brother would be lucky to have as his One .”

I think he’s joking. I prepare a sassy response but hesitate when sincerity flickers in his warm eyes. “Thank you,” I say instead. “You’re too nice.”

He smiles charmingly. “I only speak the truth.”

My muscles relax.

There’s no pretense in Lome, no agenda. Just a simple kindness that makes me want to believe him. I trust him.

He did, after all, heal Dad.

The music swells. Lome spins me through the crowded dance floor. Desperate not to get dizzy, I focus on a stationary object to my right.

My eyes land on Eshe.

The stunning Immortal stands at the edge of the dance floor, a champagne flute between her fingers. A handsome man in a midnight blue tuxedo stands next to her. His black hair is slicked back, and his warm, tan skin catches the light like polished mahogany—so much like Eshe’s.

Even from a distance, it’s clear the man is interested in Eshe. He watches her intently as he speaks, and each time he shifts his feet, he inches just a little bit closer.

Eshe is harder to read. Her expression is guarded, but she isn’t stepping away from him. And she’s speaking to him. Maybe she’s entertaining his attention.

The grip on my hand tightens. I glance up and catch the scowl darkening Lome’s features. I follow his gaze, seeing it’s fixed on the man speaking to Eshe. A storm brews behind his eyes.

Oops .

Curiosity pulls at me.

Before I can stop myself, I ask, “Is there a chance you and Eshe will ever reconcile?”

Lome said he and Eshe were on an upswing. And he’s so easygoing, so likeable. And while Eshe has a tough exterior and puts up a good front, so is she.

The past must’ve been truly horrible to lead their relationship down the path it’s taken, but I don’t know… I get the sense Lome would throw himself at Eshe’s feet if it meant she would give him a chance.

Especially with how he looks watching another man flirt with his wife .

The shoulder under my hand tenses as Lome registers my question.

I bite my cheek, debating whether I should apologize and tell him to forget my question.

But when he tears his eyes off his wife and meets my gaze, his expression is determined and unwavering. “Yes, there’s absolutely a chance.”

The raw note in his words makes my throat tighten. I swallow and softly ask, “Then why don’t you try?”

It’s obvious he wants to.

Why would he waste any more time?

Lome stares at something behind me. A sigh slips past his lips. “My desires aren’t the only ones that matter. I must wait for Eshe to be open to reconciliation.”

“Have you asked her?”

“Of course.” His eyes slide back to mine. The sadness in their brown depths is a stab to the heart. “Many times. Eshe’s made it clear she believes our time has passed.”

My heart hurts, not just for Lome but for Eshe too—there’s a pain in his voice that doesn’t come from just disappointment. It’s something deeper.

Heartbreak.

I care about Lome and Eshe. And I hate to know there’s so much pain and sadness between them.

I squeeze his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “It’s all right. This is my own doing. I must live with the consequences.”

I nod, unsure of what else to say.

We continue to move in perfect sync as the music rises to its crescendo, the quickening beat pulling us along, and we are caught in the web of its beautiful song .

When the orchestra draws out the song’s final notes, Lome spins me with dramatic flair, and before I can even catch my breath, he dips me. I can’t help the laugh that escapes me, a little breathless and lighthearted despite our upsetting conversation.

Lome grins, a playful glint in his eye as he pulls me upright. Without missing a beat, he drops into a low bow, as if we’ve just danced our way through a royal court.

Still laughing, I dip into a curtsy, embracing the playful spirit of the moment, suspecting he needs it.

He extends his arm, and I gratefully latch on to let him lead me off the dance floor.

“Now, while I can think of no better way for me to spend the evening than in your company, I believe it is time we find my pesky brother,” Lome teases, but his jaw is tense as he scans the crowd, pointedly avoiding the direction where his estranged wife stands.

“He, no doubt, wishes to escort you around the ball.”

Lome’s words are for the crowd around us. He and I both know Des would rather not be seen with me.

Not tonight.

Not ever.

But I don’t say anything. Instead, I press my lips together and nod, joining Lome in searching the room for my reluctant date.

It doesn’t take long before I spot him.

“There he is.” I rise onto my tiptoes, holding onto Lome’s arm for balance, and point toward the balcony doors at the far side of the room. “Over there.”

Lome nods and steers us toward him, expertly avoiding the couples weaving around the dancefloor as the next song begins. He pauses only when Immortals step into his path, greeting them politely and exchanging clipped pleasantries .

My cheek muscles twitch from holding a polite smile in place as I pretend I don’t notice their intense scrutiny. No one speaks to me directly. I don’t know if that bothers me or not.

When Lome and I finally break through the crowd and reach Des, I exhale a sigh of relief.

That same breath is sucked back into my lungs when I take in the sight of Des speaking with a devastatingly beautiful woman.

She’s wearing a floor-length, midnight blue gown that hugs her body in all the right ways.

The fabric dips low on her back, exposing smooth, flawless skin when she turns to the side to laugh at something Des says.

Her long blonde hair glows under the ballroom lights, and she flips it over her shoulder with a practiced, flirtatious grin.

Give me a break… I roll my eyes. Des isn’t funny.

My inner voice tsks. Is that jealousy?

I shut the thought down and stop walking less than six feet away. My forehead furrows, and my stomach knots.

Lome stops and looks at me with a raised brow. I’m about to suggest we don’t interrupt their conversation when Des spots us.

“Lome,” he greets his brother first, his voice flat. Then, as if reluctantly remembering I exist, his attention flicks to me for a millisecond. “Darcie. There you are.”

“Yes.” Lome widens his eyes meaningfully, then tugs me forward. I want to resist, but there’s no time. “Here we are.”

“You remember Liana.” Des gestures to the pretty woman who beams under his attention.

Gross.

“I can’t say I do,” Lome replies, his tone cool. “It is nice to meet you.”

Liana’s smile falters, but she recovers quickly, offering the fakest smile I’ve seen all night. The beauty dips into a small curtsy. Most Immortals bow or curtsy when first speaking to Lome or his brothers. “It is an honor.”

“Indeed.” Lome sounds unimpressed. He steps to the side and waves a hand over me. “Of course, you know who this is. The brightest spot of tonight’s festivities and the newest addition to our family.”

The reckless brother brings my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. A mischievous spark flickers in his eyes. It takes everything I have not to laugh at the ridiculous gesture.

“Yes.” Liana’s eyes narrow, but her rigid smile stays in place. “It is nice to make your acquaintance, Darcie Abernathy.”

Lome straightens and releases my hand. I face the beautiful woman, unsettled by the fact that she addressed me by my full name. “Thank you. It's nice to meet you, too.”

My words aren’t cold, but they aren’t warm, either.

I’ve only known Lome for a short period of time, but I’d say he’s not prone to being dismissive or unkind. The fact that he’s rude to Liana tells me the Immortal female might not be someone I want to know.

Des clears his throat. “How are you enjoying the ball?”

I think he’s speaking to Lome, but when I look up, his hazel eyes are on me.

Eyes that should be green...

“Darcie?”

I blink. “Yes?”

Beside me, Lome chuckles under his breath.

Des’s lips twitch, a slight smirk pulling at the corner. “I asked how you’re enjoying the ball.”

“Oh.” I swallow again, feeling the weight of their eyes on me. “I’m… having a nice time. ”

“Thanks to my efforts,” Lome says, coming to my rescue and smiling at me with a playful gleam. “I’ve ensured Darcie is well taken care of tonight despite your negligence.”

“Desmond has been busy greeting all of his guests,” Liana says, her eyes sultry as they glide over Des. “Darcie can’t expect to keep him all to herself when so many of us are craving the chance to speak with him.”

Is this chick for real?

“Perhaps it is time for Desmond to direct his attention to the woman of the hour.” Lome’s expression darkens. “She is, after all, his One. ”

Liana’s features twist like she tastes something sour. The expression isn’t flattering. Neither is the icy glare she shoots my way.

I glance at Des to see if he’s noticing Cruella’s harsh reaction, but his attention isn’t on Liana. It’s still on me.

What are you doing? I frown. Stop staring.

He’s supposed to be distant, to make others doubt there’s any connection between us.

But right now, with the way his rich hazel eyes flare as they trail over the length of my gown, he’s giving people the wrong idea.

“You’re right, Lome.” Des’s voice drops an octave. “Forgive me.”

He extends an arm and opens his palm.

“Darcie…” My heart skips a beat, and warmth spreads through my core as unmistakable desire swirls in his eyes. “May I have this dance?”