His gaze swept across the ballroom. He found the Representative standing next to Chancellor Rose and a shorter fae male he didn’t recognize.
“She’s busy,” he murmured, twirling River away from her gods-awful mother. “We’re safe.”
Not that it really mattered. He would’ve said the same thing even if the Representative had been in earshot. Her behavior had been deplorable, and he wouldn’t stand for it.
“Still…” Doubt flashed through River’s eyes, along with something else. It took Nikhail a moment to realize what it was.
Fear.
Fresh anger boiled inside him, churning alongside his magic. He gritted his teeth so hard, he could’ve sworn his jaw cracked.
By all the fucking gods. What had the Representative done to make her daughterfearher? It wasn’t like River was a magicless human or a weak fae. She was a gods-damned tempest, for fuck’s sake.
It was official: Tertia Waterborn was rapidly becoming one of Nikhail’s least favorite people to ever walk the planet.
Of course, before he could say something to reassure River, the song ended.
She drew her bottom lip into her mouth and nibbled on it. Her gaze darted around, and his stomach knotted. She was going to leave; he could see it in her eyes.
His soul twisted at the thought of letting River go. Somehow, he knew that if she stepped away, he wouldn’t get another chance to speak with her tonight. He wouldn’t get a chance to tell her how he felt.
He couldn’t let that happen. Not without putting up a fight.
They were at the edge of the dance floor, where the crowd wasn’t as thick. A cool breeze blew in through the open balcony doors, which led out into the frosty night. The fresh air was a reprieve from the heat of so many bodies packed together, and it whispered his name. Called him. Beckoned him forward.
Adjusting his grip on River’s hand, he gestured to the doors.
“Come outside with me?” He made no effort to hide the plea in his voice.
Those stunning brown orbs widened, and she hitched a breath. Indecision flashed across her face, and her lip ring disappeared into her mouth.
Oh, gods. This was it. They didn’t need to go outside because apparently, she was going to turn him down right here. She’d say no and rejoin her brother, ending Nikhail’s chance to lay his heart out on the line before it had even begun.
A fissure ran through his heart at the thought. “Please,” he added in a hoarse whisper.
They were attracting attention, standing on the edge of the dance floor, but he didn’t care.
Endless seconds passed as River’s tempestuous eyes swept over his. Back and forth, again and again. Every moment was longer than the last, and dread swirled in his stomach as he readied himself for her decision.
If she pulled her hand from his and walked away, he wouldn’t fight her. Even though his soul clearly felt otherwise, he didn’t have a claim on River. Not really. Watching her leave would be like cleaving his heart in two—unnatural and painful—but if that’s what she chose, then he would abide by her decision.
Lifetimes seemed to pass them by. The music started again, a faster tune that had dancers swirling around them. Conversations continued, a low hum all around them.
Nikhail barely heard or saw any of it.
Eventually, River released her lip ring. She breathed out shakily, the exhale as loud as a gust of wind to his ears.
“All right,” she said softly, the words just for him. “I shouldn’t… It’s not… but, okay. I’ll come with you.”
He’d never heard a better sentence in his life.
Exhaling, he loosened his grip on her hand, threading his fingers through hers. Her hand was so much smaller than his, yet they fit perfectly together. As if they were always meant to be.
Nikhail had not been one for hand-holding in the past, having never really seen the appeal. Clearly, he’d been a fucking fool. Hand-holding, like dancing, was criminally underrated.
He would gladly hold River’s hand every moment for the rest of their days. He hoped she wasn’t attached to having both hands free, because he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to let her go.
In some deep part of himself, he knew he was being ridiculous. Of course, he couldn’t hold her hand forever. They had jobs. Lives. Commitments that would require them to be in different places.