Page 43 of To Touch A Silent Fury

He raised his blood-red eyes to me and offered his hand. “Will you dance, Tanidwen?”

I swallowed. I should have asked Thread Ersimmon to use his power onme, for I hated that his smooth deep voice could grip me so. It held the baritone of a priest, but with none of its sanctity.

It seemed I was a novelty, again, then. They all wanted to dance with me so they could say they’d met me. I wondered what the room’s reaction would be to the announcement of my Fate. Scorn. Laughter, maybe.

I attempted to smile. “I do not dance well.”

He smiled back, but it did not reach his dragon-red eyes. “That is not what I asked.”

My feet already hurt, and I’d yet to have a bite to eat nor more than a sip of my wine. And I didn’t want to dance with him. “Yes.”

What else could I have said?

His shoulders relaxed a little as I took his hand, my gloved one meeting his calloused one. For a prince, his hands were very rough, but there was no roughness in his movement. He pulled me towards the centre of the room as the musicians picked up their instruments and shifted into the next dance.

It was one of the three I had learnt with the Thread, and I thanked my blood for it. The Tastelands suitor, Sparrospen, hadpulled me around a lively jig where I knew none of the steps and barely stayed upright, and I was glad that I would at least not embarrass myself twice in a row.

The Dragon Prince dropped my hand, and we positioned ourselves across from each other on the two lines of men and women.

I repeated the steps under my breath as the music got underway.One step, then nod to honour your partner.

I stepped forwards and dipped my head, glancing to my left to check I was in time with the lady beside me.Raise up, make eye contact with your partner as you step back.

I straightened to find his gaze already focused on me. No, not all of me. He stared at the beads in front of my whispering lips. I closed my mouth quickly, but he must have already noticed me speaking to myself. He looked annoyed.

My cheeks heated as we both raised our left arms, moving closer as we completed the first turn around one another.

“It seems you have driven half the men here into a frenzy already, and I am certain the other half are hot on their heels.”

I held in my splutter. “Your Grace?”

“Admirably done,” Langnathin said. “Prince Brascillan is particularly enamoured.”

“He has been kind,” I replied, carefully.

The Dragon Prince rolled his eyes. “I am sure the victor will be thrilled to have won you. Alas, he will find his bride long gone.”

The words fell like the toll of a bell, clanging with doom. “I don’t understand your meaning.”

“You should leave this island immediately. You shouldn’t be here.” He spoke in such a low voice I barely caught it, but I shuddered nonetheless.

I wasn’t sure if he meant here, at this ball, dancing so poorly I must have been dragging the tone down, or whether he meanthere at all. Alive, talking and walking. I squared my jaw as we swirled back past each other. “I’m so sorry your plan failed.”

We turned back to our original positions across from one another, raising our right arms. I kept my chin high as I passed.

“Leave now, then, before the next one succeeds,” he replied.

Ice trickled down my spine. Had he admitted it, then? For what reason? There was no gain in confirming his plot, surely. And why would he warn me of another? What new game was this?

“Or call your plan off,” I said, as we passed back across.

Back to our starting positions, we each held hands with the two people to the sides of us. An older blonde woman, and a young lady of around my age who appeared to be with child.

We formed a small circle, moving in two steps, and then back two steps. It was far easier to see this dance actually come together with other people and the proper music. But there was no part of me that could enjoy it, I was only focused on my feet as I tried to quell my rising panic.

What could I do? Maybe he only made this threat because his plan had already succeeded. Was it the wine again? Twins, was I already dying?

I fought to keep my breath steady, refusing to fall and give away the depth of my spiral.