Chapter 23 : A Dance With Jared

Jared extended his hand to me, beckoning me forward. I glanced over my shoulder at Aeris, who was looking smug and suspicious as he leaned against the railing of the terrace overlooking the city of Suncrest. Night was falling, and the city lights sent an amber haze rippling over the horizon.

It would have been beautiful had that orange-eyed creep not been standing right in front of my view.

“Eliza," Jared repeated more sternly.

I fixed Aeris with a steely glare and took Jared's hand. Aeris raised his brows at me but looked nothing but amused.

Jared placed my hand in the crook of his arm as we walked back into the ballroom, leaning down to hiss, “Don't egg him on."

“He knows," I said, looking up into his eyes.

Jared looked down at me, nostrils flaring. “What did you say?"

“I didn't say anything! He said it was–it was my hair. It was my hair that gave it away. Someone in his circle must have recognized me from the auction."

Jared cursed under his breath and broke from my gaze to look around the ballroom. Warriors were posted along the walls, watching the proceedings. Jared eyed them all, then found Archer and Brandt in the crowd.

“We're getting out of here tonight," he said, leading me through the crowd again.

“But he hasn't given you the scroll yet–"

“I don't care about the scroll."

“Of course you do! That's why you're here, and why you brought me here. You need it. I'll be fine–"

“He will stop at nothing to lay claim to what he believes is his," Jared seethed in my ear. I closed my eyes as a ripple of heat rushed through my body as his breath tickled my neck. “I won't let anyone else have you."

Anyone else?

Jared straightened up, catching Brandt's eye in the crowd. He nodded once, his pointer finger brushing against the tip of his nose. Brandt made another quick motion with his hand in response and disappeared into the crowd.

“What was that all about?" I asked, but Jared moved us deeper into the fray.

We arrived at the edge of the dancefloor where a dance was already in full swing. It was a group dance, the couples weaving in and out of each other and then twirling with their partners.

“We'll catch the next dance," Jared said absently, his eyes still scanning the room.

crowd that I was his breeder? Was Jared really planning on trying

about to give up on the

applause erupted through the ballroom. The young dancers beamed with pride as a few couples made their way back into the crowd of onlookers,

dance like this. Every move was calculated and well-practiced. I'd watched some of the young women dancing with their partners when I'd first arrived at the ball. They danced with controlled grace, their faces screwed in concentration as they hit each and every step with precision. They'd been trained to dance

mow down anyone dancing nearby. I had a feeling

orchestra prepare for the next set. His eyes were locked on the violinist. Aeris had mentioned a few times that Jared was acquainted with his court and kingdom. He would know these dances. He'd know how

what this was, after all–a game. I was just a

me out onto the dancefloor as the music

hide my discomfort as

like you're enjoying yourself. That's

having to crane my neck to follow their gazes. Aeris was testing us. I had to

Jared whispered as he raised our joined hands

don't know

breathed, then he swept

“good" wasn't an adequate description of

Me? Not so much.

me lead," he said

And I did.

hand and spun me in a tight circle. Another twirl, then another, my feet barely touching the ground as we wove between several other couples along with the music, which only seemed to be

in mine, squeezing softly as I breathlessly looked up

how to dance like this?" I

playful grin, then had me spinning on my toes before sweeping me

wasn't raised a bandit," he said wryly. “That

spun me again but let go of my hand, his other hand trailing

of another woman roughly my age, who took my hand and led me in a tight circle for a moment before I was sent spinning again, right back

other dancers. I was out of breath by the time the

hand pressed against my lower back, his palm spread wide. My chest was pressed firmly against his,

felt as though we were the only two people in the room. The music seemed to slow, our movements sure and

looked into his eyes while he turned us as if in slow motion. He was looking at me now in the same way he'd looked at me when he'd asked me my name that night at the breeder

“Trust me," he'd said.

I had.

But why?

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