Page 132 of House of Crimson Cloak and Silver Teeth

Garrett doesn’t wait for my answer. His hand finds mine and he pulls me away from the entrance, weaving us through the crowd. He leads me to a small alcove near the far wall, partially hidden by a massive marble column and heavy velvet curtains. Sound doesn’t carry well to this alcove and the orchestra fades to a gentle hum.

The shadows are deeper in this corner, untouched by candlelight. A few people might still see us if they looked, but most eyes are on the main floor. Garrett turns to face me, still holding my hand.

“No one’s paying attention to us here.” The corner of his mouth lifts slightly. “Just you and me.”

This is stupid. We’re supposed to be focused on survival. I should drag him out of here to safety.

I open my mouth to say no again. But then I see the way he’s looking at me.

Fuck it.

“One dance,” I say.

His emerald eyes sparkle. Garrett looks at me like I just handed him the moon. He closes the space between us completely. My hand is lifted into place and his other hand lands at my waist.

“Relax,” Garrett murmurs. “Just... follow me. Trust me, all right?”

Trust.

Such a simple word for something I’ve never been good at. But I let him guide me into the basic steps of the dance. It’s nothing complicated. A slow back and forth then turning in a small circle.

One-two-three, one-two-three. Garrett counts under his breath for the first few steps until I catch the rhythm.

My boot comes down on his foot and he acts like it didn’t happen. He doesn’t flinch when I’m too stiff and awkward. I feel him redirect me gently, adjusting his hold and pulling me back into the proper rhythm.

“See?” he says after we’ve made it through one full rotation without disaster. “Not so terrible.”

We continue moving until I'm starting to catch the rhythm and relax into it.

Garrett was right.

This is easy. It’s kind of like fighting. You anticipate your partner’s movements and respond, finding the flow.

My pulse quickens as his hand wraps tighter around mine but I don’t pull away. “You’re being reckless.”

He leans in closer, dropping his voice to something only I can hear. “But I’m allowed to be reckless with you. You’ll keep me safe.”

The faith in those words makes it hard to breathe.

“This isn’t—” I struggle for words.

“There are more important things to discuss. The Queen has something protecting her,” I say quietly, keeping my eyes on his shoulder instead of his face. “Something dangerous. I can’t explain what it is but you need to stay away from her.”

“I just danced with her, Wolf. I think if she wanted me dead, it would have happened already,” he says easily.

“I’m serious.” My hand tightens on his shoulder. “There’s something wrong with her.”

I struggle for words to describe it. How do you explain that ominous presence to someone who hasn’t felt it? “She’s different. You can’t win against her, even with your skills.”

Garrett is quiet for a moment, still guiding us through the dance. “How do you know this?”

I don’t even know how to explain that Kitty and I were in her garden with blades drawn. “I just do. Trust me.”

He pulls back slightly to look at my face. Whatever he sees there makes his expression soften. “I do trust you. If you say she’s dangerous, I believe you.”

He pulls me closer until there’s barely any space between us at all. His forehead nearly touches mine. We’ve stopped moving and the people who pass by our little corner are definitely watching now. I can feel eyes on us, hear the whispers starting. This is exactly the kind of attention I’m supposed to avoid.

“You’re making a scene,” I mutter against his ear.