Page 42 of Petals for Deadly Power

She couldn’t deny him a dance. She didn’twantto deny him a dance. She wanted to know what it would be like to dance, even if she felt more fear now than if she had twenty-five enemies waiting to kill her. She wanted to know what it was like to be close to him. She wanted to feel the touch of his hand on hers for as long as she could.

She could only pray the Cardinals didn’t consider a dance between two heirs of the Houses a reason to cause a panomquake that could break Thyria in half.

It wasjusta dance.

She inhaled deeply, taking his hand with hers, her heart thumping wildly against her ribcage. Ciaran placed his metallic hand on her waist, above her leathers.

“Relax,” he whispered, his thumb stroking hers. “You’re safe.”

She closed her eyes, hoping he didn’t realize how much her hands were shaking as much as the waves in the surrounding sea. “I know,” she said. “Don’t we need music?”

Ciaran smiled and started singing.

He sang in a language she had never heard before. His eyes shone brightly while he guided her body, moving together around the deck.

It was a joyful song. A melody that reminded her of the things she loved, of a sunny day in a forest with the lightest breeze, surrounded by animals and flowers, of the happiness and innocence of childhood she had read about in books; of feeling full inside and knowing one’s own path. The song went on, Ciaran’s voice filling the night as his lips moved.

Hope couldn't stop grinning. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, his eyes and lips the only firm things in the world as everything else appeared unfocused on a second plane. Ciaran made her spin around one more time as he sang the last note.

“I didn't know you could sing.” The song had stopped, but her grin had not.

His eyebrows lifted. “I didn't know you could dance.”

Hope swallowed, hoping the night covered her blush. “Can you sing another song?”

Ciaran smiled. “For you, always.”

This time, he chose a haunting song, a melody about loneliness and sadness.

It wasn't a song to move as fast to as before; it wasn't one to spin around to.

Hope felt the need to be closer to him, to touch him as his voice trembled with all the words she didn't know, but all the feelings she knew too well.

She put her hands around his neck, moving in unison as his hands surrounded her hips. His mouth was all she could focus on as he sang with the emotion that came from the deepest of one’s heart.

This was music about raw pain and solitude, hopelessness and devastation.

She felt wetness on her skin and Ciaran lifted his hand to dry a tear from her cheek.

She didn't smile. Shecouldn'tsmile.

Not as his song struck something buried deep inside her. Something she had spent years hiding under layers of self-convincing and not allowing herself to linger in the hurtful feelings that would stop her from moving forward. Feelings she knew were dangerous to acknowledge without letting them take over.

Yet here he was, singing about these exact feelings, without breaking on the outside.

But Hope knew the truth. Only someone could express these feelings,singabout these feelings, if he had been utterly broken by them where it mattered most: on the inside.

The song finished, and Hope was not ready to let go of this man who had opened his heart in such a devastating way without warning.

She placed her head on his shoulder, and Ciaran's arms embraced her while her silent tears fell.

He didn't need to ask.

She didn't need to explain.

They both embraced in silence for the Fifth knew how long, the only witnesses being the red moon, the Cardinals, and maybe even Llunal himself.

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