Page 14 of Crown of Slumber

He cleared his throat, then rubbed his chin. “I, ah. Well, my dancing skills are only appreciated with a partner.”

“Oh, forgive me! Where are my manners?” I unlaced my boots and stepped out of them, my bare feet pressing into the soft soil. I drew closer to him and extended my hand.

His face slackened in surprise. “What are you doing?”

“Well, offering myself as your partner, of course.”

Half his mouth quirked upward. “You, the mighty dragon tamer, can dance?”

“Why so surprised? Is it so shocking that a lady such as myself would know how to dance?” I mimicked his air of offense and sniffed haughtily.

He laughed and removed his coat, then tossed it to the ground next to my boots. “Very well then, fair maiden. Prepare to be dazzled by my grace and finesse.”

His hand came around me, his fingers splaying along my upper back. My arm rested against his, my palm to his shoulder. His other hand clasped mine, our fingers interlacing. His skin was warm and smooth. Certainly not the calloused hands of a tradesman.

He seemed to notice the same about me. His eyes darted to my hand in his, his eyes narrowing slightly. I watched his calculating expression take in everything about me, from the cotton dress to my bare feet to my stiff and elegant posture.

I was a walking contradiction. My authoritative tone and poise suggested royalty, but my muddied dress and lack of propriety suggested otherwise.

“You are an enigma, my lady,” he murmured, his voice soft as he drew me close.

“As are you, good sir.” Like him, I was scrutinizing my dance partner, noting the smooth and clean shaven chin, the unruly hair, the fine clothes. He smelled of pine and mint and something that reminded me of waterfalls; the rushing waters and the cool forest air. The scent momentarily transported me to Kellen Falls, where my parents had often taken me.

My thoughts dissolved as he stepped forward, guiding me in a swift waltz. His feet moved with grace and ease, each step gliding us backward, then forward. My skirts swished with the movement. I allowed my arms to relax in his as he led, a wide smile of surprise spreading along my face.

“There now,” he teased. “You seem utterly shocked that I am capable of such an accomplishment.”

“You cannot blame me,” I said. “A strange man comes into the forest and pesters my dragons, then claims he ventured into the woods todance. Would you believe it, if you were me?”

“Probably not,” he admitted. He didn’t even miss a step during our conversation. We continued spinning as I followed his lead. “Then again, you are not exactly what I expected, either. This feral dragon keeper—whose bark is far more vicious than that of the creatures she tends to—can dance just as well as I can! How unusual indeed.”

I threw my head back and laughed, my chest feeling lighter as delight coursed through my body. This dance, this moment of anonymity and amusement, was the most unexpected and enjoyable encounter I could have imagined. “So you admit it, then? My skill equals your own?”

“I would not saythat,” he hedged. “After all, I am leading, am I not?”

“Then, allow me.”

This time, he did stumble, and another bloom of satisfaction spread through me. Burning suns, I didlovecatching him off guard.

“I beg your pardon?” he sputtered.

“Allow me to lead you and show you my own skills.”

He raised a single eyebrow. “What exactly are you proposing, fair maiden? For you to lead as a man does?”

“And why is it that only men get to lead? Why should they be expected to bear this responsibility entirely on their own? Wouldn’tyoulike to be led for once? Wouldn’t that be nice?”

He frowned as he considered this. “Well, that’s certainly a unique notion.” His steps slowed, and he dropped my arms. “Very well, then, feral dragon keeper. Show me what you can do.”

I laughed, then repositioned our arms. I had practiced leading with Gigi before, but she was much shorter than I was. This was a struggle, as the stranger stood more than a head taller than me. Even so, I wrapped my arm around his waist, resting my hand against his back. He placed his own hand along my arm, his fingertips tickling the exposed flesh of my collarbone. Despite the ridiculousness of our pose, his nearness brought heat to my face, and I found I couldn’t look him in the eye.

Gods, if Mother could see me now… Dancing with this stranger, our bodies so close. I didn’t even know his name.

My mouth turned dry as I took a deep breath and started us off in the same waltz as before. Truth be told, my steps were clumsy, but the stranger did not mock me as I expected. He followed my lead, and we spun around the forest clearing once more. Eventually, once I had a handle on our movements, the dance was just as smooth as before.

The man’s eyebrows lifted as he gazed at me with awe. “By the gods,” he said softly. “Youcanlead.”

I laughed. “Perhaps you should not underestimate a lady, good sir.”

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