Page 85 of The Queen's Line

"You don't know how to dance like that, do you?" he asked, leaning to my ear.

I watched the men and women leaping together, practically running past one another, women hooked to their dance partner's chests with strong arms around their waists, heads thrown back with laughter. It wasn't how people in court danced, and even that I'd done very little of aside from some instruction. I looked to Aric and shook my head, and he grinned, his arms squeezing tighter around my waist, his free hand scooping mine up.

"I'll lead," he said, and then we were galloping into the mass of the crowd.

I screeched, my arm wrapping around Aric's shoulder, clutching to the dense leather of his vest as he drove us straight towards a dozen other couples. I was sure that at any moment we'd crash into them, but Aric just spun us into the movements, my feet racing to follow his, my eyes as wide as they could go as I laughed in my joy and panic. There was no logic to it that I could find, not while I was trying to keep up, it was only wild movement, but it was as if every person who followed the pounding rhythm of the musicians was in some kind of connected understanding with one another, moving like air currents or rushing water, constantly spinning around like mad planets in orbit.

Many partners changed hands, tossing women into new arms, but Aric kept a tight clutch on my waist, turning us away before we could be interrupted. I thought I could feel his heart pounding against my chest for how tightly we were pressed together, the buttons of his clothing catching on the embroidery of my dress. He was laughing with me, his breath against my ear and throat, my toes barely touching the earth before he would swing me around again, my skirt pooling out behind me like a lady's fan.

There was no room to speak, even if Iwasable to catch my breath; we were going too fast, the music was too loud. The longer we moved, the more relaxed I grew, the easier I was able to dance and move for myself. I quit watching over Aric's shoulder for the moment we crashed into someone and decided instead to trust him to lead. It gave my eyes room to turn to his face, see the wide grin he wore and the way he was watching me too. His cheeks were brighter from the activity, his chest brushing against mine as we fought for breath, hair bouncing and flying, and those gray eyes falling to my lips, my throat, back up to lock with my eyes.

It hurt. It hurt to want himsomuch. It made my eyes burn and my throat tight and my heart beat too hard and my cunt ache. It turned my hands into claws as I tried to hold onto him. It drew up ugly thoughts ofdemandinghe serve me, submit to me, accept his role as my Chosen. It wasn't a convenient lie for Aric's sake only, that was what he was to me. I had Chosen him first, and now my Hunger did as well. The music was slowing, and I was taking grateful gasps of air as Aric slowed our spinning, his face now frowning. Maybe he read the desire in mine and it irritated him, or maybe he was angry with himself for the way his eyes kept dropping down to my lips or my breasts.

"Bryony." I read my name on his lips, his voice too low, and we both stilled as his hand came to cup my hips.

The sheath was hot, warmth bleeding through my shirt and warning me against my thigh. Aric's eyes were over my shoulders now, spinning us slowly as he studied the crowd.

"Here comes Thao," Aric said, head bending to my ear. "Keep dancing until Guard Stark interrupts. I'm going to search the crowd."

I nodded but my fingers wouldn't release Aric's shoulders, and his smile was tense as he pulled my hands free, raising one to his mouth and leaving a scant kiss against the heel of my palm. "Be careful, princess," he whispered as he passed.

Too late, I thought, but I lowered my hand to the hilt of my dagger, and in the next moment the music was starting again, a more mellow and playful tune to allow dancers to catch their breath. A warm arm looped around my waist, and Thao caught my free hand in his.

"There was a masked man moving toward you in the crowd," Thao said gently. "We're going to dance in the direction of the tent."

I nodded, my head still too full of Aric to really wonder about the threat at my back. I was safe with Thao and…

And Aric was hunting with my guards for whoever the man had been.

"You don't need to worry," Thao said, slipping between two close couples.

"I'm not. I'm just…"

Thao wore a slow, wry smile. "Ah. I admit I don't understand his appeal, but I am more impressed with him than I initially expected."

"He doesn't want me." It didn't feel vulnerable to speak it out loud with Thao. The prince would understand what I wouldn't want to admit to anyone else. There was something deeplyirksomeabout not being able to simply take what I wanted from Aric. That my position as princess was a hindrance and not a help in making him mine.

"He may choose not to accept you, but believe me when I say that it's clear that manwantsyou, Bryony," Thao said, frowning over my shoulder.

"I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse," I said.

"I'm jealous of him. That's uncomfortable to admit," Thao said.

We weren't really dancing now, just turning slowly away from the crowd and the music, closer to my tents. My dress was growing heavier, Aric's charm lessening, and the sheath was cool again. At the corners of my vision, firelight glinted off the armor of the hovering guards who followed our slow progression.

"Why would you be jealous?" I asked.

Thao paused us in place, pulling our joined hands up to rest against his chest. He didn't have me pinned against him the way Aric had, but we were close enough to share breath, for me to feel the press of his hips against my stomach.

"Could any of your desire ever be for me?" Thao asked, voice small, frown fragile, eyes tracking my expression.

I stilled and stared up at him. It'd been weeks since Thao had beencocky,but I'd never really seen him insecure in this way. Not since the night I'd chosen him as he sat anxiously at the banquet table with the others. He'd always been beautiful, but beauty didn't really make my pulse pound.

Thao did though, lately when we were sparring, dancing, arguing. I enjoyed arguing with him as much as I did with Aric, their opinions opposite but equally willing to clash with mine. I was grateful for his confidence when mine faltered. I craved the depth of connection he shared with Wendell.

"Forget that I—"

I cut him off, rising to my toes and pulling him down to meet me for a rough and sudden kiss. There was none of Wendell's tentative gentleness. As soon as Thao met me in the kiss, he was greedy for more, clutching me close and sweeping his tongue in to taste me with my gasp. My Hunger was equally eager, and I groaned as Thao's hips pressed into mine, wanting to rub myself against him in full view of everyone around us.