Page 22 of Accidentally Ever After
“The dancing begins,” Caelen explained, rising and offering me his hand. “As is tradition, the royal family leads the first dance.”
Panic flashed through me. “Dancing? No one said anything about dancing. I don’t know fairy dances!”
“Follow my lead,” he said simply, pulling me to my feet. “Trust me.”
We descended from the high table to the cleared space in the center of the hall. King Orion was already there with Lady Ellaria on his arm, her triumphant smile making it clear she considered this another victory.
The music began—strange, otherworldly sounds that somehow formed a coherent melody despite using scales I’d never heard before. Caelen drew me into position, one hand at my waist, the other holding mine.
“The steps are simple,” he murmured. “Three forward, two back, turn, repeat. Feel the rhythm.”
I tried, I really did. But fairy dancing, like everything else in this realm, operated on principles that didn’t quite align with human ones. The rhythm seemed to shift unpredictably, and what Caelen called “simple” steps involved movements that sometimes defied gravity.
“I’m going to humiliate myself,” I whispered as I narrowly avoided stepping on his foot for the third time.
“No,” he said firmly. “You are going to surprise them.”
Before I could ask what he meant, he tightened his grip on my waist and suddenly we were no longer bound by the floor. His wings extended, lifting us several inches into the air as we continued the dance pattern.
Gasps rippled through the watching crowd. Flying during the formal dance was apparently not standard procedure.
“Caelen,” I hissed, clutching his shoulders as my feet lost contact with solid ground. “What are you doing?”
“Adapting the dance to suit my consort’s abilities,” he said, loud enough for those nearby to hear. “As any considerate partner would.”
We spun through the air, the steps that had been awkward on the ground becoming fluid when gravity was removed from the equation. Caelen’s wings guided our movement with graceful precision, and I found myself relaxing into his secure hold, trusting him to keep me from falling.
“Show-off,” I accused, but couldn’t help smiling.
“For you, always,” he replied, his eyes warm on mine.
Other couples had joined the dance now, though all remained earthbound. King Orion watched our aerial display with narrowed eyes, while Lady Ellaria’s expression had soured considerably.
“Your father doesn’t approve,” I observed as Caelen guided us through another airborne turn.
“My father rarely approves of anything I do,” he said lightly. “It is practically a tradition in itself.”
The music shifted, signaling a change in partners. Before I could panic, Caelen deftly returned us to the ground, landing smoothly beside the king and Lady Ellaria.
“Traditional partner exchange,” he explained quietly, then transferred my hand to his father’s while taking Ellaria’s reluctantly offered one.
I found myself face to face with King Orion, his cold violet eyes assessing me with undisguised criticism. His hand was cool on my waist, his grip just short of uncomfortable.
“An interesting interpretation of the ceremonial dance, Consort Morgan,” he said as he led me into the steps, which were thankfully performed on solid ground. “My son seems determined to rewrite traditions to accommodate you.”
“He’s very considerate,” I replied carefully.
“He is very rebellious,” the king corrected. “A trait I had hoped he would outgrow.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I focused on not stepping on the king’s feet—a transgression I suspected might actually result in amphibian transformation.
“The Spring Conjunction approaches,” King Orion continued. “You will be presented to the other courts as Caelen’s consort—a position of significant visibility and political importance. Are you prepared for such scrutiny?”
“I’m learning,” I said honestly.
“Learning is not the same as knowing,” he countered. “The other courts will not be as… forgiving… of human missteps as we have been.”
“We?” I couldn’t help asking. “You’ve been forgiving?”
