Page 145 of Across an Endless Sea

“I tap out!” the redcap yells, after I step on his foot for the third time, making us both wince and me giggle. “I never signed up for dance lessons! Púca, you’re up.”

Then, without warning, he blinks Bree directly into the middle of the dancers in the courtyard.

Bree goes from relaxing against a wall to standing in front of me, surrounded by more fae than ever. He goes rigid as someone brushes against his back. The midnight fur on his catlike ears stands on end, and he flinches into me.

On a night when I’m having such fun, he’s still battling his demons. I want to take those shadows in his eyes and replace them with the joy he’s given me.

I hold out both hands, palm up in offering. “Teach me how to dance?”

The offer hangs in the air like a feather, caught on the breeze. Infinitely fragile. Full of hope. Those green eyes of his watch me warily, then flick back to watch those around us, like he’s trying to predict the next move of everyone around him.

I’m so focused on his face that I jump when I feel his fingers curl around mine.

“On the edge,” he mumbles. “There are fewer people to bump into.”

He leads me over to a quieter part of the street.

“Left foot first,” he mumbles, twisting his hold on my hands until I’m in front of him. “Follow the music.”

I manage about three steps, and a small twirl before I stumble into him, grinning.

“I did it!” I shout, then clamp my lips together when several fae turn towards us and I realise how loud my own voice is.

“You did,” he confirms, catching me without difficulty and steadying me.

Grinning, I do another twirl and then repeat the same three steps Bree just taught me. Okay, so I recognise I might not be thegreatestdancer ever, but at least with Bree glamouring me, there will be no one else to witness it.

Bree turns to look at Lore over his shoulder. “You realise they’ll have a fit when they realise we snuck her awayandgot her drunk.”

It takes me a second to realise the ‘they’ he’s referring to is likely Jaro and Drystan.

Lore just waves away his concern, coming up on my other side now that the immediate danger to his toes has passed.

“They can bore her to death tomorrow.”

“I’m never going to another ball again,” I vow solemnly as everyone around us takes another coordinated leap into the air and claps. Yips and hoots fill the air before a chuckling Bree can reply.

“I can’t wait to hear you break that news to Florian.”

I groan, joy evaporating at the reminder. “Okay, but the next one, we invite all these people.”

Lore grins, and it’s a mouthful of teeth. “If you want to fill the palace with under fae, who are we to argue?” he asks. “Now come here, pet.”

He beckons me with one finger, and I twirl towards him. He grabs me around the waist, but he doesn’t let me pull him in to another dance. No. Instead, Lore takes my chin in his free hand and lifts my face up to claim my lips in a fierce kiss. My hood falls back, but I barely notice under the onslaught.

“Mmm, you taste like spiced wine,” he murmurs when he finally lets me up for air.

He tastes like the spun sugar crowns we ate a few stalls ago, along with a hint of liquor and the telltale metallic sharpness that’s a unique part of him.

Lore dives into the kiss with all the chaotic enthusiasm of a redcap who knows what he wants and isn’t about to let it get away from him. When he pulls back a second time, his breath fanning over my kiss-swollen lips, he takes his hat from his head and slips it over mine.

“There,” he whispers. “Now they all know you’re mine.”

He grins as he says it.

I frown at him. “Is that important to fae?” I ask.

“Very much,” Lore says. “We’re a possessive bunch.” He leans in and whispers, “And if another fae checks out your pretty breasts one more time, I’m going to start cutting out eyes.” Moving back, he gives me an easy smile, as if he wasn’t just describing maiming innocent fae. “In the interest of public safety, I must insist you wear my claim at all times.”

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