Page 20 of Of Storm and Emerald
He grasped Auraelia’s hand in his own once more and stood, pulling her with him. His eyes never left hers as he bowed and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “I can’t think of anything I would rather do.” Tucking her hand into the crook of his arm, he guided her back to the dance floor.
The room went quiet as all eyes turned in their direction, and groups of guests parted giving them a wide berth to make their way to the center of the dancefloor. Then he pulled her into his arms and let the world around him fall away.
Chapter Eight
Auraelia
Shefelteverypairof eyes on her the moment they walked across the room. Everyone watched and waited to see what the Princess of Lyndaria would do next with the Prince of the Sapphire Isles. But the ones that stood out the most were Piper, Xander, and her mother.
Piper had a smug ‘you go girl!’ look on her face, which was nothing new. Xander was scowling, which was his typical overprotective, older brother reaction to any man who dared to come near her. Her mother, however, had a knowing smile on her face that said she saw more than Auraelia could fathom. There was a flash of worry, but overall, her eyes shone with approval over Auraelia’s choice in partner–even if only for a dance.
But all of that fell away as soon as Daemon took her into his arms.
His hand was a hot brand on her back as he led her across the floor. Auraelia felt her heart swell and her chest warmed as a phantom breeze swirled around them, lifting her skirts as if they were suspended in water.
When Daemon’s eyes widened, the pieces fell into place, and her jaw dropped with the realization.
Holy shit! Am I doing this?
Seeming to sense the turmoil in her mind, his gaze softened as he spoke in a low, soothing tone. “You didn’t know, did you?”
She shook her head, “No. Mother wasn’t sure how my magic would manifest. I think she’d been hinting that she saw something last night, and then again today after the coronation, but she wouldn’t give me a straight answer.” Auraelia rolled her eyes and took a moment to think back on everything that transpired over the past two days. “Last night…last night, you said something about my eyes, but by the time I got back to my chambers they looked normal, aside from a few traces of green.”
Daemon’s face turned contemplative as he glanced around them, and Auraelia did the same. They were the only ones affected by the swirls of air, leaving the rest of the room untouched. Finally, he smiled, “Well, my star, it seems like we have at least part of the answer to what your magic may be.”
She cocked one of her brows, giving him a ‘care to elaborate’expression, which made him chuckle and raise a brow of his own. “The wind, Auraelia. Have you noticed that it is only affecting us?”
“Yes, but I don’t knowhowI’m doing that. I’ve never summoned it on purpose, it just seems tohappen.”
“It’s happened before?”
“I’m not certain. But just today, I believe it’s happened a handful of times.”
“The breeze through the ceremony that made the petals fall like a spring snow?”
She nodded.
“Do you think you could stop it?”
“I’m not sure.” Panicked, she looked around the room, her anxiety squeezing the air from her lungs. The more anxious she felt, the stronger the wind blew, causing it to spread to other parts of the room.
What was a gentle cocoon of air around Daemon and Auraelia, soon became a strong breeze through the room that tousled the ladies' hair and blew through their skirts.
Daemon gently grabbed her chin and brought her focus back to him. “Auraelia, you need to breathe. Focus on my voice.”
Nodding, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and recenter herself.
“There you go, just keep breathing.”
The wind in the room started to die down as Daemon gently stroked her cheek with his thumb.
“Open your eyes.”
When she did, she saw the pools of gold in his moss-colored eyes shining like twin suns.
She saw desire and acceptance.
She didn’t care that the way he held her face looked like a lover’s caress.
