Page 129 of Journey to the Elderoak
They visited for a bit, exchanging stories from the last few months. Remy had gone back to his exploration of the forest, sticking closer to home, not wanting to draw the attention of the daemon army again. Ava told him about living in Mosshaven, her training and the Elderoak journey. The ease of which they fell into conversation was a comfort Ava hadn’t realized she needed. The first friendly face upon her arrival to Eorhan.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Casimir’s voice sounded. Ava turned to find him standing before them. “May I borrow the princess, Remy?”
“Of course, general!” Remy bounced in his seat. “You found love, Miss Ava. Yes, you did. Love love love. Someone who understands your big heart,” he whispered loudly with a wide grin.
Her face warmed as she smiled at Remy.
Casimir extended his hand. “Dance with me.”
She took it and he pulled her to stand. She waved to Remy over her shoulder as Casimir led her to the dance floor. With a tug, he yanked her close and rested his hand low on her back as he led them into another waltz.
“Thank you for standing up for me at dinner,” he said, intensity in his eyes.
“I’ll always stand up for you. No one gets to call you a brute but me.”
He chuckled and pulled her flush against him. “You can call me anything you want,” he said, voice low. They continued their dance, making their way through the crowd, spinning and twirling. “I can’t wait for this night to be over,” he said.
“Me too. This is exhausting. Would it insult everyone if we left now?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Especially since this is your first ball. Don’t worry, only a couple more hours and we can escape to the suite.”
“Hours?” she whined.
He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Why are you so eager to get back to our rooms, princess?”
“To finish what we keep trying to do every time we get interrupted.”
He gave her a subtle kiss on the neck and pulled back. “Not much for fancy balls?”
“It’s fun to get dressed up every once and a while,” she said. “But honestly, I’d rather be curled up next to the fire, reading a book and sipping tea.”
“Me too.”
Casimir twirled her out and back in again, dipping her along with all the other guests. His lips met her collarbone as he pulled her closer and continued leading them between the guests. His hand trailed lower, resting atop the curve of her behind and she shivered at the unspoken promises in his eyes as he lowered his gaze to her lips. She moved her hand from his shoulder to rest on his neck and swirled her thumb along his throat.
Casimir dipped his head, brushing his lips against the shell of her ear. “You’re making it extremely difficult for me to get through the rest of this ball, love.”
Ava scanned his face, her eyes half-lidded with lust, unable to look away as they continued the rest of their dance in silence.
The dance ended and Ava glanced around as Casimir slowed. There he was again. The man. In a different spot this time.
She froze.
Noticing her alarm, Casimir gripped her chin and turned her face to him. “What is it?”
She looked back but he was gone yet again.
“I—I don’t know…I thought I saw someone,” she replied.
He was instantly on alert. “What do you mean you thought you saw someone? Who?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I think it’s someone I’ve seen before in town. He looks familiar. It’s nothing.”
His eyes were full of concern.
“It’s nothing. I haven’t slept well in days, and I just completed the journey yesterday. I’m exhausted and imagining things.”
He left it alone, but she could tell he didn’t believe her.
