Page 28 of When the Merchant Met the Orc

“No, definitely not. But they’re an exception.”

“What about Rom and Laini? The mayor and his mate?” I swallow, and he lowers his head, tilting his chin to the side. “Rychell, love does work for some and you know that.”

The memory of shouting flits through my head. “Can we just enjoy the party?”

The heat of his gaze fades and he smiles kindly. “Your wish is my command.”

Pushing his words and my dark memories away, I relax and face the dancers out on the floor where another reel is starting up.

Halvard points to the table beside us, where folks are tying cloth around their heads. “Look, it must be the Blindfold Reel that Aila was talking about.”

“Why aren’t Magnus and Aila here?”

“Magnus said Aila likes to save her energy for actual Nocturne.”

The vampire author from the market walks up and raises a hand in greeting. “I’m Archer, remember?”

“Yes, of course,” Halvard says, standing and holding out a hand to shake Archer’s.

“You’re going to join in, right?” Archer asks, his gaze going to the dancers lining up.

I nod. I feel silly, but I don’t want to be a stick in the mud. I withdraw the velvet cloth that Aila gave me and knot it at the back of my head. I laugh and lift one side to peek at Halvard. He has his blindfold on, but he has it pushed up over his eyebrows.

We follow what everyone else is doing, making four small sets of lines. The line I’m in is shorter, and it seems that I have two dancing partners across from me, one of whom is Halvard. I look to the female pixie beside me. She’s laughing at something the male pixie across from her is saying.

“May I ask you a question?” She nods, and I go on. “Is this some sort of triangle form like the High Tide Reel?”

“Exactly! But you won’t know which partner you’re with, and you can switch if you’re fast. Your partners won’t know it. It is chaotic, but very fun. Don’t forget,” she says, eyeing Halvard, “it’s take and turn, then lift and spin, then apart, then do it all over again.”

“Thank you,” he says.

I trade a skeptical look with Halvard, who shrugs and grins. Archer waves at us from across the floor. Halvard and I pull our cloth strips into place over our eyes.

The music starts up in full, the lilting notes of the lyre and pipe bright and loud. Everyone is laughing at how ridiculous it is to dance with blindfolds on—it’s definitely chaotic, but also fun. Someone takes my hand. It’s Halvard.

The stark difference between the ruthless strength of his hands—as I saw them during the fight with the thieves on our journey here—and the sweet touch of his hold on me hasgoosebumps lifting all over my body. Those talented hands, easily twice the size of mine, slide to my waist, and then he lifts me. I gasp as he spins me around, even though I knew that was the next move.

We break apart as the reel requires, and someone new takes my hands. Their fingers are thinner, but pleasant enough.

“You smell like cinnamon,” the stranger says as he spins me.

“I’m a spice merchant.”

“It’s a lovely scent.”

I brace for the lift that never comes. Suddenly, my second partner’s hold is replaced by Halvard’s hands on my waist again.

“Was your second partner that bad?” I ask, snickering as he lifts me high.

“So bad. And I don’t like how that partner of yours was sniffing at you like a dog.”

“You heard that?”

“Orcs are superior in many ways. One of which is hearing.”

I have the urge to roll my eyes, which is hard to do behind a blindfold, so instead I huff at him. “So arrogant.”

“It’s not arrogance. It’s science.”