Page 26 of The Rose in the Shadows

“The waltz. Do you know how to dance the waltz?”

I raised a brow, mimicking his characteristic expression as if to silently respond:Do you think I know how to waltz?

“Get up,” he commanded, lowering a hand to me.

I let him pull me to my feet, trying not to flinch as he settled a hand on my back and adjusted my arm above his. His fingertips grazed the skin under my shoulder blade that was left bare under the low cut of my dress. His touch was warm, and I was acutely aware of it as he pulled me close to him and pressed my body to his. And yet, for as painfully aware of him as I was, Clayton’s face was a mask of calm and purpose, as if his only thought was to teach me this dance and move on with his life.

“You’ll follow my lead. When I step forward, you step back. When I go right, you go left. If you feel pressure here,” a small press down onto my shoulder blade. “Be ready to spin.”

He gave me no warning before launching forward and beginning the dance. I stumbled at first, his arm serving as the only thing to keep me steady. He spun us into a simple box step repeatedly, ignoring the first time I stepped on his foot and pursing his lips the second time I did it.

“I’m miserable at this."

“You are,” he agreed, pressing down on my shoulder and releasing me, allowing me to twirl.

It was possibly the most ungraceful twirl ever done. He only rolled his eyes at me before pulling me back in.

We went on like that for a few minutes, completing enough box steps for me to master the feel of the movement and avoid stepping on him. My twirls were still awkward, though, and I nearly dragged us both into the ground when he attempted to dip me. His eyes flickered gold for only a moment.

“Practice,” he ordered, releasing my hand and resuming his princely posture again. "I imagine you'll receive invitations to quite a few dances at the Peace Ball.”

“Wonderful.” I snorted. “Is that all for tonight?”

That was probably another breach of court custom to dismiss my Crown Prince like so, but my head had been spinning long before he ever pulled me off that couch, and every glance of my bed out of my peripheral had me screaming to lie down. I looked at it longingly before turning back to Clayton, expecting to see golden eyes staring back at me, but they were as stormy gray as ever.

“I imagine Iris will offer you company in the coming days. Your schedule will also include plenty of training with Ryla until you get a semblance of control over your powers.”

I winced. So nothing was a secret around this castle, then? I wondered exactly how many people knew about my earlier failure on the mountain.

“But if you find yourself with some downtime,” he continued. “I’ll instruct Dimitri to allow for walks in the palace gardens. They’re lovely this time of year.”

He didn’t give me a moment to collect my thoughts and even register the olive branch extended to me before he turned on his heels to leave. I stared after him for a moment, in shock, before rushing to the door myself.

“Clayton!” I called.

He turned, eyebrow raised.

“Has there been any word from the guards who went into town looking for my family?”

The air between us thickened as my stomach catapulted while I waited for his answer. When his gaze darkened in pity, my despair became overwhelming. I fought against the tears that threatened to fall.

“Not as of now,” he told me.

Sighing unhappily, I nodded and prepared to bid him goodnight, only for him to step forward towards me once more.

“I’ll keep looking, though.” His words were heavy and meaningful.

We stood quietly for a moment.

“Thank you, Clay.”

I closed the door between us, stumbled through the room, and fell onto the bed heavily. I didn’t even bother to remove my gown or untangle my hair before I allowed myself to drift to sleep.

Iwas underground, deep underground. Walls of cavernous rock stretched above me, sealing me in a tomb of darkness.And though the world around me was shrouded in shadows, I could still see. Torches, nailed into the rock of the walls, provided enough dim lighting for me to make out my surroundings. The air was frosty and still. The silence left me feeling on edge.

Water stretched out in front of me, perfectly still. I dipped my bare toe into it, surprised by the resistance I met. My foot touched down on the water’s surface the same way I might step onto a sheet of glass. Impossibly, I didn’t sink. I tested my weight, balancing on the water entirely. After it supported my weight for a full minute, I dared a step forward. Then another. I inched onto the river step by step, walking on the water as easily as I had stood on the ground moments before. Mist surrounded me, kissing my skin and blowing the skirts of my ivory gown.

Then the water shifted and my attention snapped to a man in a long wooden boat, who moved through the water slowly with each dip of his paddle. He wore long black robes with a hood pulled so low over his head that I couldn’t make out his face. I shivered as he turned his head swiftly toward me. For a moment, we only looked at each other. Then, slowly, he bowed and continued his trek through the water.

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