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?”

I stepped back hastily, creating a respectable distance between us. “Sorry.”

She eyed me thoughtfully. “Perhaps a change in approach is needed.” Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a long, 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.

“Impressive,” he commented as I executed a particularly tricky turn.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” I replied lightly.

“Not surprised, just... delighted.”

My heart fluttered at his words, but I focused on the rhythm, allowing myself to be fully present in the moment. The fabric of his shirt brushed against my cheek, the faint scent of his cologne enveloping me.

As the song progressed, Elijah loosened his hold slightly, no longer needing to keep the feather pinned between us. Our movements became more fluid, more natural, as if drawn together by an invisible force. Like our bodies were magnetized to nothing but one another.

The music swelled, and he led me into a graceful spin. I followed effortlessly without even thinking.

“Did you dance a lot growing up?” Elijah asked.

My cheeks heated a little at the memories of countless dancing lessons as a child, but I nodded. “Yes. I actually quite enjoyed it.”

“It shows,” he replied, sounding a little surprised. And maybe a little something else, too, although I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

As we continued, the world outside seemed to fade away. Even Rosa’s presence seemed to slip into the distance. There was only the music, the subtle warmth of Elijah’s hands seeping through my dress, and the steady rhythm of our steps.

I felt… safe in his arms. Safer than I had ever felt.

Finally, the song began to draw to a close, and as we slowed, I became acutely aware of how close we were now. I couldn’t even feel the feather between us now, although I could feel his heart beating against mine.

Slowly, his hand moved from my waist, his fingertips grazing my cheek. My breath caught, the touch sending a tingling sensation across my skin.

“Elijah...”

He gently untied the scarf, the fabric slipping away to reveal that his face was mere inches from mine. Our eyes met, and for a moment, everything else fell away.

But before either of us could speak, a small whirlwind burst into the room.

“Mommy!” Thea called out, rushing toward us with boundless energy. She grabbed my hand eagerly, tugging on me. “Please, I’m sooo hungry!”

I blinked, the spell abruptly broken. “Thea! What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t find you, and the maids said you were here,” she explained, still tugging on my hand. “Can you please make me a sandwich? Pleeease? You always cut the bunny shape just right!”

I hesitated, glancing at Elijah and Rosa. Rosa nodded and checked her watch. “Yes, I think we’ve had enough practice for today.”

I looked at Elijah, but he had already taken a step back. Whatever chemistry I’d felt between us was abruptly gone, and I felt suddenly cold without his body pressed against mine. The feather now lay on the floor, forgotten.

“Us… Yes,” I said, letting Thea tug me away.

With that, I let Thea lead me out of the ballroom, her excited chatter filling the air as we headed toward the kitchen. The last thing I saw before the large doors closed behind us was Elijah staring at me with that same intense gaze he always had.

And beside him, Rosa was smirking, leaning close to him as if whispering something. The sight made my face turn crimson as I wondered what she was saying, but then the doors shut and Thea pulled me along with a strength I didn’t know she had.

“I told the maids that I prefer your sandwiches,” she chattered as she tugged me behind her, nearly making me trip over my dress. “They said they could make me something but I want yours!”

“That’s… that’s okay,” I said, managing a smile. Maybe Thea’s sudden appearance was ideal, since the energy between me and Elijah was becoming too electric for comfort at the end of our dance.

But at the same time, I couldn’t decide if I was grateful for the distraction… or maybe a little disappointed.

Perhaps it was both.