Page 21 of The Iron Flower

“Come,” Lukas says, his gaze steady. “Come inside and dance with me.”

Blue sparks of lantern light reflect in his eyes. There’s nothing kind about his face—all hard lines and sharp angles. Like my own. But there’s dark understanding in his eyes, and I’m drawn in by it.

I brush the melting ice off my hand and look up at him. “I haven’t shown you my dress yet.”

Lukas steps back expectantly, watching as I unpin my cloak and slide it off in one smooth movement.

Lukas stills, as if captivated.

Snow falls in sparse, glittering flakes all around me as the dress’s embroidered Ironflowers and sapphires pick up the shimmering blue lantern light.

Lukas’s gaze does a slow slide over my body as his eyes take on a sultry heat. “That dress is deliciously scandalous.” His eyes meet mine. “You’re stunning, Elloren.” The sudden roughness in his voice belies an undercurrent of emotion that I’ve rarely seen in him, and it sets off an unsettled ache deep inside me.

“After tonight,” he says, an ardent fire in his eyes, “they won’t be calling Galliana the Iron Flower. They’ll grant that title toyou.”

The snow begins to fall more quickly, and I glance up at the swirl of white against the velvet sky.

“Let’s go make an entrance,” I tell Lukas, suddenly decided. Even if I won’t wandfast to him, I can at least give him this night.

Lukas’s mouth moves into a slow smile. He holds out his arm, and I thread mine through his, my pulse quickening.

“Are you ready?” he asks, his usual feral grin returning.

I nod, and together we make our way into the White Hall.

* * *

I match Lukas’s long, confident stride through the hall.

We leave a trail of gasping Gardnerians in our wake as all eyes fall on my resplendent, glowing dress. Mages give Lukas deferential bows as he passes, the soldiers and military apprentices bringing fists to their chests in formal salute.

Lukas acknowledges exactly none of it.

The crowd parts for us, and we walk, unimpeded, toward the dance floor, the music quieting. When we reach the floor, Lukas’s hand slips down my arm, his fingers twining around mine as he leads me to its center.

As my heart trips against my chest, Lukas smoothly takes me into his arms. The orchestral music swells back to life as his hand tightens around my waist and he glides us both into motion with sinuous grace. We twirl across the floor as one, and a giddy thrill sings through me. Delighted sounds rise up, along with scattered applause, other couples moving forward to fill in the dance floor.

It’s pure joy, dancing with Lukas Grey, his movements fluid, his lead strong and assured. I can’t help but be a bit transported by the pleasure of moving so effortlessly in time with him. The surrounding lantern light streaks Lukas’s hair with blue, his eyes steady on me.

“I hear things were quite dramatic here earlier,” Lukas says as he deftly twirls me around, my hand loosely in his. “I seem to have missed it all.”

I catch a glimpse of Paige Snowden staring at Lukas and me, her eyes saucer-wide. Sylus Bane stands beside her on the periphery of the dance floor, a glass of punch in his hand. His lips curve into a cruel smile as he raises his glass in a mock toast, and a flood of worry washes over me. Gesine Bane is with them, her black velvet dress splashed with diamonds, her gaze on me frigid.

“She’s going to kill me,” I tell Lukas as he glides us around with assured grace.

“Who is?” he calmly inquires.

“Fallon Bane. When she gets back on her feet. She’s going to encase me in a tomb of ice. And her brothers and cousin are likely to help.”

Lukas eyes me, amused. “Fallon’s under heavy military guard. There was an additional attempt on her life.”

I blink at him in surprise. “There was?”

“Hmm. Another band of Ishkartan merceneries. Ten of them this time.”

“Holy Ancient One.”

Lukas spits out a jaded sound. “Elloren, she’s thought to be the next Black Witch. That’s going to draw a certain level of attention, and up until now, she’s stubbornly refused to respect that fact.”

---