Page 92 of Enchanted Crown
Her lips twitched. “Bossing me around again?”
“Only when you allow it, but you did promise me a dance.”
“So I did.” She took my hand and allowed me to pull her onto the dance floor, leaving her father’s generals in our wake. “Thank you,” she whispered.
I pulled her in close, close enough that if there weren’t already whispers enough, there would be now. I whispered in her ear, “Have I mentioned how stunning you look tonight?”
She laughed lightly and whispered back, “You didn’t have to.”
We danced to three songs, content to take in the ballroom and the symphony of shifting going on as the Enchanted of Dra Skor apparently took turns going from the bonfire outside to the ballroom inside. I had never seen so much active shifting, the hope in the room palpable.
Esta shivered slightly, So I took off my jacket and gave it to her.
“Thank you,” she said on a sigh. “Let me go finish my duties for the night, and we can leave whenever you’d like?”
“The sooner the better,” I told her.
“Too soon would be quite the scandal,” she observed. “But I have to go check in on the patrols.” We had wondered if the ball would cause Morana to move. “Thus far, we have nothing.”
“She’s not stupid,” I reminded her, thinking of the war room meetings all week long and how we had all deliberated about Morana and her location. “She knows she cannot take on all of you at once, and if she did a thing tonight, that’d be exactly what she would sign herself up for. Her own execution.” I paused. “She evidently just wants what you have always had. That’s why I agree with what Malachi told you about making sure you are never alone. Whether it be in the castle or on patrols.”
She gave her head a sad shake. “There was a time I would have gladly handed over the crown to her. I was so done with it all.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
“I’m glad you showed up. Unannounced. Entirely too sure of yourself and stubborn.”
“Forever your moon,” I laughed.
Forever mine,she promised as she headed in Malachi’s direction.
I ledEsta to the balcony, where John had set up some candles and lanterns for me. A blanket and pillow sat there. The same blanket and pillow I had given Esta in her dragon form when she slept on my balcony.
“What is this?” Esta asked.
“Romance?” I made quick work of retrieving the ring from its hiding position and put it in my pocket.
She laughed. “You can romance me in a bed with perfectly good cushioning so both our backs aren’t hateful in the morning.”
“Humor me.” I pulled her down to the ground next to me. “This is where so much of our relationship started and has happened.”
She sat between my legs, her head leaned back on my chest as she looked at the moon. She was still wearing my jacket, but I grabbed another blanket and tossed it over her legs.
“And I just want to spend a moment with you before we leave for Corsha in the morning,” I continued.
“I already feel your worry.”
“And I feel yours,” I said back.
At exactly the same time, we laughed. As if we were both wondering why we were doing this to ourselves. Fixing the realm felt entirely less vital when I had a soul mate to protect.
She turned to look me in the eyes. “I promise, Keir. I will not go on any patrols alone. I will not go anywhere without Malachi. And with you and Amory gone, there will be no rushing into danger headfirst, unless if it’s after you.” A pause. “Even then, I will listen to you. I will use our bond so that you do not have to fear for me or watch me plummet to my death.”
“Thank you.” She had understood my need to go to Corsha. And though she had wanted to go with us, she also knew with the hunt for Morana ongoing, she was needed here. Her parents had been released for the first time tonight from their holding rooms to come to the ball. Jagen and Charlotte had opted not to go, afraid for anyone else to find out about Charlotte’s pregnancy.
Nana and Esta were working together to figure out what to do with the rest of the Mallick family and who to trust given Morana’s moves. Someone had to be helping her, we just didn’t know who.
Needless to say, too much was going on in Dra Skor for Esta to escape. Even if only for a few days.
