I chuckle, and the laughter helps loosen the knot that had formed in my chest.
“Niethal said this ball was to celebrate a newly discovered treasure. I see now he was talking about you.”
“I’m not so sure about the treasure part, and why would he think that, anyway?”
But before Isiah can respond, Niethal calls my name from across the room.
Isiah’s shoulders tense but relax so quickly that I question if I imagined it.
Niethal stomps behind the pillars and his eyes dart between the two of us.
Isiah grins at me and bows deeply. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Grace.” Still bent, he looks up from underneath his lashes and winks. “I look forward to the dance you promised tonight.”
He straightens and glares at Niethal before strolling back to a group of males dressed similarly in red and black. The males glance in my direction before their eyes flash to Isiah, broad smiles spreading across their faces. Two slap him on the back in greeting. One must say something funny because they laugh, and I swear Isiah reddens.
Niethal moves in front of me, arms crossed, with a frown on his face.
Wait,he is angry? I’m the one who should be angry. My temper flares as I close the distance between us and jab a finger into his chest. “That is how you chose to show me howspecialI am? Did it entertain you to watch me burn before an audience?”
Niethal’s head jerks back, and his voice rises when he says, “Entertain me? Grace, I am sorry you think my intentions were anything but honorable. I only wanted the kings to witness your magic so they would acknowledge your claim.”
“My claim to what? A kingdom that no longer exists?”
He’s quiet for a moment, staring off at nothing before refocusing on me. “Your kingdom is not as lost as it may seem.”
I stare at him, unblinking.
But before I say more, he takes my hand and leads us toward the crowd. “Dance with me.”
It’s not so much a question as a statement because he pulls me into the center of the room where other couples are already dancing. When he lifts a hand and flicks his wrist, the playing music transforms into a waltz.
He draws me into his arms and lifts our joined hands to shoulder height before sliding his other palm around my waist, gripping it firmly.
I peer at the dancing couples next to us, how gracefully they move, and my chest tightens. “I don’t know how to waltz.”
He pulls me closer and whispers in my ear. “Don’t worry, my dear. Just follow my lead.”
The hem of my dress hovers off the floor as he spins me, and I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. Every time one song ends, the orchestra flows into another, and we continue dancing. Even with everything that happened, my body relaxes in his embrace. If what he says is true, if he only wanted to show the kings my magic to prove my claim over some lost city, we just need to talk about it. This magic has always been inside me, so there’s no point in being angry with him that it’s there. Upset he didn’t tell me first in private, yes, but we can figure that out. As confused as I might be, I want to enjoy this moment.
He leans in close again, breath tickling the shell of my ear as he says, “You dance wonderfully, as if you were made for this.”
I pull back to meet his gaze. “We need to talk about what happened.”
His expression doesn’t change, but the muscles in his shoulder tense under my touch.
The orchestra flows into another song when there’s a light tap on my arm, and I turn to find Isiah smiling. “I was hoping for that dance now, Grace. I would apologize for cutting in, but, well…” His words trail off as his eyes shift to Niethal and narrow.
The way Niethal squares his shoulders hurries the words from my mouth. “Yes, of course, as I promised.”
Niethal’s glare says we’ll be talking about this later, and on that, we can both agree.
“Shall we dance?” Isiah grins as he reaches out his hand, and I take it.
CHAPTER 10
ISIAH
“W