Page 75 of The Mad King and the False Queen

“Don’t give me that,” Magda said with an annoyed tone, but she couldn’t help but smile in return. “You were great up there.”

“Thanks. I have a short break now. How about a dance?”

“I don’t know any of these dances. Music is quite different here. I’m not sure I could get the rhythm right.”

“All you need is the right partner,” he offered. “Maybe the sound of our footsteps on the dance floor is just what this song needs.”

“Maybe,” Magda spoke. Truthfully, she wanted to dance with him more than anything, getting swept away in the music and forgetting about her problems and the guilt that ate at her from the inside. While she had met many people on her adventure to Flaustra, a deep loneliness was getting painful to bear, and anytime she thought of her family she risked breaking down in tears. As if sensing her emotions, Odie nuzzled against her knee.

Ravi noticed her change in demeanor as well, and changed the subject, “So, did you get the invitation?” he asked.

“Unfortunately not. I scoured Ishani’s entire office, but it wasn’t with her usual stack of letters.”

“She probably keeps it on her person.”

“My thoughts exactly,” replied Magda.

“Alright. We’ll get an invitation somehow. But first, are you sure you won’t dance with me?”

Magda leaned her back against the wall, letting out a soft smile. “I think our relationship is better off the dance floor.”

Ravi stepped closer to her, putting his arm on the wall next to her head and leaning close. “Oh, so you’re saying we have a relationship then?”

Magda bit her lip. Something inside was intensifying, drawing her toward any type of comfort. All that she wanted was to be held, having someone validate her intense emotions and fears. But was that person Ravi, or could she be drawn to anyone in this moment as long as she could find some sense of release and respite?

“I’m not taking no for an answer,” Ravi said. “If you’re making me help you find an invitation, then I am demanding a dance.” He grabbed Magda’s hand, yanking her forward to the stage. Then he threw her bag up with his violin case, before shouting to one of his musician friends, “Hey, watch this dog for a minute for me. Your career depends on it.”

Then Ravi dragged her out onto the middle of the dance floor. When they crashed into the bride and groom, they acknowledged them happily, and Magda realized that Ravi knew them both.

“You trust that musician to look after Odie?” Magda peered over his shoulder.

“Yes, we’ve been friends forever.”

They jumped into the dance with the others, and Magda found herself drawing upon her elementary dance lessons where she had a private tutor visit from all of the foreign kingdoms, teaching both her and Aleksy about the world’s dances. Some of the steps were vaguely familiar, and Magda did her best to watch and keep up.

For the first time since the attack at the fortress, she genuinely laughed as Ravi spun her around, pulling her body close to his in a tight embrace as they maneuvered between the other couples. She remembered performing these exact steps with Aleksy, but for some reason the memories weren’t painful but joyous. There was something about being in Ravi’s arms that helped her forget the pain, and the intense aching in her heart was redirected into a strange emotion that made her entire body flush.

When the dance was over, the guests around the circle let a huge cheer go up in the air. But she and Ravi stood—silent—as they looked at each other.

Ravi reached up and brushed Magda’s hair out of her face, before letting his hand circle down to the side of her neck.

Magda pulled away. “I have to go.”

“Go where?” he asked.

As much as she wanted to not be alone, she knew that if she gave into her desires now, it would quickly become impassioned rather than genuine. She said, “I don’t know.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay? Maybe I know your favorite song and can play it for you,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

“I can’t.”

Magda walked up to the stage, where she saw Odie sitting at the foot of Ravi’s musician friend, watching Magda intently. “Come, Odie,” she called him. Then she turned and headed towards the door, but she heard Ravi come up behind her. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

“I’m sorry,” Magda said, turning toward him. “It’s not you. It’s just been a long day, and I need to get some sleep.”

“Do you even have somewhere to stay?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Yes, here actually,” Magda smirked, knowing for once she had figured out something in this foreign kingdom. Then she added, “and my favorite song is the Azuremi Waltz.”

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