Chapter 0033
Agnes
I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting golden rays across the ballroom floor. We had been at this for hours, and still, the feather kept fluttering to the ground like a mocking little bird
“Again,” Rosa commanded sharply, tapping her foot impatiently.
I sighed, picking up the feather once more. “This is impossible,” I muttered under my breath.
Elijah arched an eyebrow. “Giving up already?”
I shot him a weary glance. “Not all of us are naturally graceful.”
“I seem to recall you dancing quite well at the Mate Trial,” he said matter–of–factly.
“That was different,” I retorted. “There wasn’t a feather involved.”
Nor had we just kissed like our lives depended on it, I thought, but I didn’t say that out loud. At the Mate Trial, my one goal was to make enough money to keep looking for my missing daughter. That was still my goal now, since apparently Thea wasn’t my
child.
But now there were… other factors making me flustered. Factors that I didn’t want to think about.
Positioning the feather between us again, I tried to ignore the way Elijah’s gaze seemed to pierce right through me. The music
began, and we moved tentatively, each step careful and slow. But it wasn’t long before I stumbled, and the feather drifted to the
floor yet again.
“Ugh!” I exclaimed in frustration.
Without warning, Elijah scooped up the feather and pulled me tightly against his chest, squishing it between us.
“Elijah!” I gasped, my hands pressed against his firm torso..
He leaned down, his breath warm against my ear. “Why are you so afraid of being close to me?” he whispered.
A flush crept up my neck. “I’m not afraid,” I stammered softly. “Just… tense.”
“Is that so?”
I glanced away. “This time–it’s different. The other times we danced, it wasn’t in a lesson setting like this. This feels….
awkward.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Awkward?”
“Yes,” I insisted. “And with Rosa watching, it’s… unnerving.”
Rosa cleared her throat loudly. “If you two are quite finished?”
+15 BONUS
1 stepped back hastily, creating a respectable distance between us. “Sorry.”
She
1 me thoughtfully. “Perhaps a change in approach is needed.” Reaching Into her bag, she pulled out a silky scarf.
“What is it now?” I asked warily.
She moved behind me, placing the scarf over my eyes. “Trust me,” she said. “Sometimes, removing one sense heightens the
others.”
Before I could answer, Rosa tied the scarf tightly, blocking out the light. “Agnes, I want you to imagine that you’re in a crowded ballroom, surrounded by guests, rather than in an empty room. Focus on the music and your partner. Let go of your inhibitions.”
I took a deep breath, the soft fabric strangely comforting against my eyelids. The darkness was oddly liberating, as if shielding
me from Elijah’s intense gaze.
“Ready?” his voice came.
Ready,” I whispered.
The music began again, the soft notes echoing through the large room. Without sight, I became acutely aware of Elijah’s warm hand resting lightly on my waist, his other hand enveloping mine. I could feel the subtle shifts in his movements, guiding me
effortlessly across the floor.
“That’s it,” Rosa encouraged quietly. “Let the music lead you.”
I relaxed into his hold, matching his steps with newfound ease. The earlier tension melted away, replaced by a sense of harmony.
It was as if we were the only two people in the world, moving in perfect sync.
“You’re doing wonderfully,” Elijah murmured.
A small smile tugged at my lips. “It helps not seeing you staring at me,
“Was I that distracting?”
I blushed deeply, but didn’t answer.
We glided through the dance, and I found myself recalling steps from my childhood lessons–the twirls, the dips. Elijah adapted to my movements, and soon, we were practicing more complex moves, no longer focusing on simply swaying back and forth.
It felt… natural. Like the most natural thing in the world, honestly.
