Page 86 of The Bride of Lycaster
“Uh oh, the pressure is on,” Riyan laughed as he lowered me to the ground. “You best get the blood flowing back to your legs again.Trust me.”
I stood on the grass and rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet, cracked the joints in my ankles, and stretched myleg muscles.
Riyan took my hand in his and slowly led me around to the western side of the keep. The area normally hidden in shadows was lit up with torches. Three soldiers waited for us in the torchlight, including the captain of the Bloodstone army.
The captain held a violin and the other two soldiers had a lute and a wooden flute in their hands. The soldiers stood beside a square patch of dirt with tall torches on each corner that lookedalmost like…
“…a dance floor?”I asked.
“I told you I felt bad about ruining our first dance,” Riyan replied. “So I paid this trio of degenerates over here to make it upto you.”
“He called us degenerates, how adorable,” saidthe captain.
“You’re late, Bloodstone,” said the short, round-faced soldier holding the flute. “We’ve been waiting out here foran hour!”
“Shut up,” Riyan snapped. “I’m not paying youto complain.”
My eyes danced from the carefully-placed torches in the ground to the three soldiers who looked at me expectantly. My stomach fluttered and I stroked my fingertips on Riyan’s thumb as he heldmy hand.
“Today isyourtwenty-second birthday and you did all this for me?”I asked.
“Well, I did this for mostly selfish reasons,” Riyan replied. “I figured taking you to the lilies and re-creating our first dance was the only way to get what I wanted formy birthday.”
My lips parted and I let out a shallow breath. I was told my entire life that men only wanted one thing. Heat moved from my chest to my hips—maybe I wanted thatonethingtoo.
I flicked my eyes up to his lips. “And what didyou want?”
Riyan’s eyes were soft and his hand flushed warm as it wrapped around mine. “I wanted to hear youlaugh again.”
I held my breath as my cheeks and ears flushed with heat. Riyan gently tugged on my arm and led me to the center of the makeshift dance floor. He took my hands in his and faced me, readyto dance.
“Play something nice,” Riyan ordered. “Like something you would hear at theDuke’s palace.”
“Listen to him,” the captain said as he held his violin against his shoulder. “Acting like we’d ever be allowed in theDuke’s palace.”
“You know what I mean!”Riyan barked.
The music started up off-key, but the three players eventually settled into the melody of a slow tune. Riyan picked me up in his arms and danced the steps on his own just like he had inthe ballroom.
I learned quickly that Riyan’s dancing skills at Annalisa’s ball were not exactly hindered from all the wine. Even while sober, he still danced with heavy feet as he stepped in asmall circle.
“Take a look at twinkle-toes Bloodstone over here,” sneered the lanky lute-playing soldier. “You ever think you would see thisday, men?”
The scar-faced captain snickered. The round-faced soldier’s cheeks puffed and his flute squealed as he laughed. Riyan shot them an icy look. I tried to ignore the soldiers and appreciate Riyan’s attempt. It wasn’t a perfect dance, or even a good one, buthe tried.
I needed to lift his spirits. “At least you have not droppedme yet.”
“Lord Hyton probably danced with you a lot better than this,” Riyan grumbled as he glanced awayfrom me.
I lifted my chin to meet his eyes again. “Actually, I never danced with Derrick. The only other man I have ever danced with wasGrigory Thornebow.”
Riyan’s nostrils flared. The soldiers belowus laughed.
“And…how was he?” Riyan asked tensely, failing to hidehis jealousy.
“Oh, he was not bad.” I glanced at the ground, keeping my answer as low-key as possible. “He grabbed me a little too tightly, but his spinning skillswere decent.”
The trio of soldiers holleredwith laughter.
