Chapter 10
923 Words
The music shifted to a softer, more formal melody, and the corwd instinctively quieted. Selene felt the change like a current running through the hall. People staightened, conversations tapered off, and every pair of eyes seemed to angle toward the staircase.
Damien stood beside her, posture straight and composed. He didn't look nervous -- he looked prepared.
Selene swallowed. "Are you sure i won't mess this up?"
Damien didn't look away from the crowd below. "You won't?"
"How do you know?"
He finally met her eyes -- steady, unreadable, grounding. "Because you haven't yet."
Her breath caught, just a little. Then he offered his arm.
Selene placed her hand on it, surprised by how solid he felt beneath the fabric. Damien didn't react outwardly, but she felt a faint tension in his arm before he relaxed again.
"Ready," he said quietly.
Selene nodded, even though she wasn't.
They stepped down together. Slow. Controlled. In sync. The room seemed to hush further as they moved -- not because Selene demanded attention, but because Damien did, and she walked beside him with a calm she didn't know she possessed.
His voice came low, for her alone. "Match my pace."
She did.
"Good," he murmured. "Stay with me."
She didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until her feet hit the marble floor at the bottom.
Charles lifted his glass near the centre of the room.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice carrying easily across the hall. "Thank you for joining us tonight."
Vivienne stood beside him, elegance in every line of her posture.
"Tonight," Charles continued, "we gather to celebrate family, and the future we build through it."
Mari leaned toward Ethan, whispering loudly, "This is it, they're about to annoince--"
Ethan gently cut it, "Mari. Not so loud."
Mari's face twitched.
Charles smiled. "To my eldest son, Damien Ravenson... and his fiancee, Selene."
Selene felt hundreds of eyes settle on her at once. Damien's hand steadied hers briefly -- a touch so subtle she might have imagined it.
Vivienne lifted her glass. "Welcome, Selene. We're happy to have you with us."
Selene bowed her head lightly. "Thank you. I'll do my best."
Vivienne's smiled warmed. "We have no doubts."
Mari's fingers curled tightly around her champagne glass.
Aunt Cassandra, tall, silver hair swept into a chignon, assessing eyes that missed nothing.
"So you're Selene," she said, tonme sharp but not unkind.
Selene smiled politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Cassandra's eyes flicked between her and damien. "Composed. Good. You'll need it."
Damien gave a brief incline of acknowledgement. "She does well."
Selene nearly forgot how to breathe.
Uncle Rowan, broad-shouldered, loud, and warm, with a booming laugh.
"Welcome, dear!" he said shaking Selene's hand a little too enthusiastucally. "Any woman who can stand next to Damien without freezing up deserves an award!"
Selene laughed nervously. "I'm... managing."
"You're doing better than managing," Rowan grinned, clapping Damien on the back. "She's good for you."
Damien didn't disagree.
Grandmother Lucienne, small, elegant, eyes sharp as polished glass.
She looked Selene up and down -- silently, critically. Selene refused to figet.
Finally Lucienne nodded once. "Good posture."
"Thank you," Selene relpied softly.
Lucienne turned to Damien. "She'll do."
Selene wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or faint. Damien simply said, "Yes."
Mari, attempting to approach, stepped on the hem of Lucienne's dress. Lucienne's tiny glare could have frozen.
Mari flushed red and retreatged instantly. Selene kept her expressionneutral -- barely.
Once the family drifted away, Damien angled slightly toward Selene.
"You handled them well."
"I was terified."
"You didn't look it."
Selene met his gaze. "That's only because you told me to breathe."
"Apparently, you listen."
She smiled. "Only when you speak calmly."
His expression shifted -- subtle, but unmistakeable.
"Then i'll keep doing that."
The warmth that ran through her felt dangerous.
Across the room, Mari was becoming louder and more desperate fir attention -- laughing too brightly, grabbing at Ethan's arm, trying to stand in front of him.
Ethan gently repositioned her each time.
Mari hated it. Her eyes flicked to Selene, full of frustration.
The music shifted again -- again, slower.
Damien extended his hand.
Selene hesitated. "Are you sure you--"
"Yes."
Just that. No explanation. She placed her hand in his.
He guided her to the dance floor with a confidence that made her relax almost instantly. His hand settled lightly on her waist, warm even through the fabric.
"Follow me," he murmured.
She did -- surprisingly easily.
"You're not bad at this," she whispered.
"I lead well."
"And following?"
"I don't do that."
Seleme smiled despite herself. "~I assumed."
He turned her gently, never once letting her stumble. All around them, the room softened -- conversations lowering, eyes focusing on the pair who unexpectedly fit.
Vivienne and Charles exchanged a small, knowing glance. Rowan grinned. Lucienne watched intently.
Even Ethan allowed himself a quiet, approving nod.
Mari looked ready to scream.
The final notes faded. Selene stepped back. Daamien didn't realse her hand immediately -- his thumb brushing once against the back of hers before finally letting go.
"You did well," he said quietly.
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
She looked up at him, heart unsteady.
"And you didn't tremble," he added.
Selene's lips curved. "Neither did you."
His gaze held hers for one lingering beat -- something unspoken, something warming, something growing --
Then he composed himself again. Back to calm. Comtrolled. Damien.
But Selene had seen the shift.
And he knew she had seen it.
- Writer
