Bride Of The Beast

The dance

The ballroom was way too much. I stood at the entrance, just staring at the hundreds of candles and the crowds of people. It was loud, hot, and smelled like heavy perfume.

I smiled when I saw Denis standing with one of the nobles. He saw me and waved, excusing himself from the conversation so he could come to me.

“Are you doing alright?” He asked, his signature grin on his face.

I shrugged. “I'm okay.” I looked around again, my eyes automatically searching for Eilis.

“He's not back yet.” Denis said like he could read my mind. “He's in a meeting with Kiya and the council.”

“Oh.” I forced a laugh. “I wasn't looking for him anyway.”

“Right.” He chuckled. “You fascinate me.”

I frowned. “What?”

“You fascinate me.” He repeated. “With how you manage to look gorgeous in every dress.”

I blushed, I couldn't help it. “Thank you.” never thought I'd see the day I'd feel a rush because I was called gorgeous.

He smiled back. “You're welcome, I just thought you needed to hear it.”

“Oh, thank you, you look great too.”

He chuckled again. “Thanks, I try…oh there he is.” he nudged his head towards the entrance.

I looked toward the side doors and felt my heart give a weird, painful thud.

Eilís was there. He looked imposing in his heavy, dark ceremonial coat, but that wasn't what I noticed. Kiya was right next to him. She had her hand tucked into his arm, and he was actually holding her hand to keep her there.

They looked... comfortable. It was a weird feeling, like a physical poke in the chest. Eilís had never willingly held my hand. He’d never even stood that close to me without looking like he wanted to bolt.

Seeing him lean down to whisper something in her ear made my stomach turn over.

Kiya laughed at whatever he said, and then they both looked right at me. I looked down at the floor immediately, my face getting hot. I felt like an i***t standing there watching them.

I must look so pathetic.

"Raven, breathe," Denis muttered under his breath. I hadn't realized I’d stopped.

I tried to fix my expression, but my face felt stiff. I tried to look busy—like I was deeply interested in the pattern of my silk gloves—but I could feel their eyes on me.

"Raven."

I looked up, and Eilís was standing right in front of me. He looked perfectly composed, the heavy gold embroidery on his coat gleaming under the chandeliers, not a single hair out of place.

Kiya was still lingering a few steps behind him, wearing a look that was somewhere between pity and amusement.

He didn't say hello. He didn't even ask how I was. He just held out his hand, palm up.

"The music is starting," he said. His voice was low, echoing in the small space between us. "Dance with me."

My stomach dropped into my shoes. My hands started shaking, and in my panic, I reached out to take his hand but completely missed. My fingers just kind of swiped against the thick, embroidered wool of his sleeve before I awkwardly grabbed his thumb. I felt my face go from hot to flaming.

“Eilís, I... I don't think I can,” I squeaked. My voice went way too high, cracking right at the end. I sounded like a dying flute.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a couple of nearby nobles turn to look. Even Denis winced.

Eilis didn't even flinch at my clumsy grip. He smiled and just closed his fingers firmly around mine and started pulling me toward the center of the floor.

I stumbled, my heavy gown bunching up between my knees. I almost went down face-first into his chest, but he caught me by the waist, steadying me in front of everyone.

"Watch your step," he whispered, his breath hitting my forehead.

I looked back at the entrance, desperate for a distraction, but Kiya was just standing there with her arms folded, watching me struggle like I was a comedy act. I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole.

Instead, the violins started a slow, rhythmic waltz, and Eilís pulled me closer.

I was going to die. I was actually going to die right here in a dress.

The music was slow, Eilís moved with a smooth, easy strength that I couldn't match. I was too busy trying to remember the "one-two-three" rhythm Calani had drilled into me.

Step, slide, step—

I came down hard. My heel slammed right onto the top of Eilís’s foot.

He didn't shout, but I felt his entire frame go rigid. He stopped moving immediately, his hand tightening slightly on my waist to keep us from wobbling.

“Sorry,” I whispered, the word coming out as a breathless wheeze. “I told you I couldn’t do this.”

Eilís looked down at his boot, then back up at me. His expression was hard to read, but there was a flicker of something like amusement in his eyes.

“Raven,” he said, his voice barely audible over the violins. “Do you actually know how to dance, or have you just been trying to wrestle me for the last minute?”

“I practiced!” I snapped, then immediately lowered my voice. “My attendant tried to teach me. I’m just... not built for this. I have the grace of a brick.”

I expected him to let go, maybe give me that look of disappointment I was used to and walk away. Instead, he stepped even closer, closing the small gap between us.

The gold embroidery on his coat brushed against mine, the heavy fabric making a soft scratching sound.

“Stop fighting the music,” he said. He took my hand—the one that was still awkwardly clutching his thumb—and laced his fingers through mine properly. “And stop looking at the floor. I’m not going to let you fall.”

“You might not have a choice,” I muttered.

“Look at me.”

I looked up. His face was inches from mine, his pale eyes steady. He shifted his hand on my back, moving it slightly higher, guiding me with a firm pressure that made it impossible to stumble.

“Now, left foot back,” he whispered.

He moved, and because he was holding me so securely, I moved with him. It wasn't a struggle anymore. He was doing all the work, lifting me just enough that my gown didn't get tangled in my legs.

“Better,” he murmured.

We turned slowly. For the first time all night, the noise of the ballroom seemed to fade into a dull hum. I forgot about Kiya watching from the sidelines. I even forgot about the corset digging into my ribs.

“See?” he said, his voice a low vibration I felt in my chest. “You aren't a brick.”

This felt surreal, I looked up at Eilís, his eyes were already on mine. I was smiling so hard that I couldn't close my mouth.

Eilís’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened, his gaze sweeping over my face as if he were seeing me for the first time.

His hand on my waist tightened, pulling me a fraction closer, and for a heartbeat, we almost stumbled.

He looked like he'd been hit.

“Sorry,” he whispered. He ripped his eyes away from mine, his jaw locking so tight I could see the muscle jump.

I frowned. What went wrong? The warmth that had been there a second ago vanished. Throughout the rest of the waltz, Ei

lís avoided my eyes, staring over my shoulder at the wall as if I had suddenly become invisible.