“Everybody ready?” Morty asked, appearing behind us, the light casting a glow against her dark brown skin.
We ascended the stone steps and entered the manor. Music waftedthrough the air, and it seemed the entire village of Thistlegrove was in attendance. The white floor tiles gleamed under a giant chandelier with glowing candles, and I arched my neck to see fairy bugs flitting overhead, looking like little balls of magic with their glittering soft colors.
“This is amazing,” Auggie said, brown eyes wide as saucers.
“I need a drink.” Prue bolted for a table sitting against the wall, filled with glasses and a sparkling fountain of some kind of alcohol. Maybe liquor would do her some good.
Around us, people danced along to the lively music, while others ascended the sweeping staircase in the back, probably heading to the upstairs patio to drink and socialize.
It was all so grand, so wonderful.
“Adelaide.” Elm appeared from the crowd—and next to him was Draven.
He was staring at me with this odd look on his face I couldn’t decipher. Probably shocked we actually had the audacity to come given our previous interactions. This was his home, after all. His ball.
Elm took Adelaide’s hands in his. “Would you like to dance?”
Adelaide turned her head and looked at me, and I knew exactly what she was thinking. She’d dance with Elm if I danced with Draven, if I showed her that I was serious about us getting along.
Auggie nudged me, and I kicked her in response. She shoved me forward, right into Draven.
His eyes widened as I pressed my hands into his chest. His firm chest.
I cleared my throat, cheeks heating. “Would you like to dance?”
He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.
“Yes,” Elm said quickly. “He would.” He held out his hand to Adelaide, and she placed hers in it. Then they were off.
Draven didn’t smile, his face as severe as ever as he held out one hand, palm facing me, then wrapped his other arm around my back, drawing me flush against him. The air whooshed from my lungs.
“You have a beautiful home,” I said. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“I didn’t,” he said quickly, then cleared his throat. “But you are welcome, of course.”
He was going to make this difficult on me. I didn’t understand why it was so hard for him to just smile. To be nice. I thought of Helena andher words about Draven. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who had a hard time getting along with him.
“I’ve never seen anything so grand.” I gestured up to the glittering gold chandelier.
“Thank you,” he said. “It was my parents’ pride and joy. They built this manor. They chose every color, every painting, every detail.”
Was. He’d said it “was” his parents’ pride and joy. He sounded so sad. For a moment, I felt a jolt of sympathy toward him. I knew what it was like to lose a parent. It wasn’t easy.
Over Draven’s shoulder, I could see Auggie surrounded by a group of men, giggling and chattering away. My gaze traveled to Prue, who stood in the corner, speaking with a gentleman who looked to be around her age. Prue was actually conversing with someone. I smiled. Maybe coming hadn’t been such a bad idea after all.
“Are you actually smiling while in my presence, Ms. Moonflower?” Draven whispered in my ear, his breath warm against my skin.
My gaze shot to him as we stepped together in perfect unison. “I’ve smiled before when I’ve been around you.”
“Not a real smile.” He studied me. “It lights up your entire face.” His gaze was so intense, I looked away.
“I’m just happy my sisters are happy.”
He spun me around, his grip on my hand tightening. “Have they not been happy?”
I sighed. I hadn’t talked to anyone about this other than Adelaide, and with her grumpy mood lately, I hadn’t spoken to her about my concerns regarding Prue or Auggie.
“We have our reasons for traveling,” I said, meeting Draven’s gaze. “It’s nice to see the realm, to sell our potions and meet so many people. But I worry that someone like Prue needs more stability. She’s withdrawn quite a lot, and she gets nervous in social situations. Then there’s Auggie. She’s a natural with people, but she doesn’t have close relationships with anyone. She flits from person to person, forming no attachments. They’re young still. Prue is only twenty, and Auggie is twenty-two. I want to do right by them.”