House of Salt and Sorrows(40)

“Are we not?” he asked, looking down at our feet as if surprised to find them standing still. “We should rectify that.”

My fingers slid into his outstretched hand like water over rocks. He led me out to the center of the room as a new tune began. I snaked my free arm up his shoulder and felt my breath stop as his other hand came to rest at my waist. A warm ribbon of desire unraveled inside me, and I dared to wonder what those fingers would feel like against my bare skin.

I soon found out.

It was a lively jig, full of complicated spins and twists. Cassius skillfully led me through the unfamiliar steps, his smile bright. As the song came to an end, he drew me in, so close I could feel the heat of his chest singeing my thin satin, before twisting me into a spectacular dip. His palm splayed across my back, supporting my weight with a deft grace. Behind the mask, his eyes burned down at me.

The crowd broke into applause for the orchestra, and I felt a tap on my shoulder.

“Ready for that dance now, Minnow?” Fisher asked. “Unless you’ve already made plans with…”

I inhaled deeply, catching my breath. “Fisher, this is Cassius. His father is a captain on Selkirk.” I turned back to Cassius. “Fisher is—”

“A family friend,” he interjected. He grazed my elbow, gently drawing me to his side. “A very close friend.”

They sized each other up, their glances heated and decidedly masculine. It was a strange sensation, being caught between the two of them. Though it was flattering, I couldn’t help but feel like a swimmer circled by two sharks, wondering which would strike first.

After a pause, Cassius shifted his eyes toward me, his face relaxing. “Save me your next waltz?”

“I’d be delighted—” I started, but Fisher spun me away as a new song began, and I didn’t know if Cassius had heard me.

Fisher’s hand at my waist was warm and sure, and he guided us through the steps with far more confidence than he’d shown at the triplets’ ball. Though we faced each other for most of the dance, his eyes never quite met mine, always resting just above my shoulders as if searching the room to make certain Cassius was watching.

“Fisher?”

His face broke into a triumphant smirk, and as we turned, I caught Cassius leaving the ballroom.

“What?” He laughed, seeing my raised eyebrow.

“What was that all about?”

He shrugged, then spun me out as the music built in a swooping crescendo.

“Fisher!”

“I don’t know. I saw you across the room, dancing with him, and I just…I knew I needed to come cut in.”

I paused. “Why?”

The tips of his ears flared red, and he looked away. “It’s hard to admit, Annaleigh.”

“We’ve always been able to tell each other anything,” I said, drawing his gaze back. “Haven’t we?”

“Well, yes, but…It’s just…” He let out a sigh of frustration. “I truly did not like seeing you in another man’s arms.”

My steps faltered, and Fisher rubbed his neck, looking exactly like the twelve-year-old boy I’d been smitten with.

“Is that strange to hear? It feels strange to say. All my life I thought of you as a sister…a sometimes exasperating but always beloved little sister. But when I came back to Salten and saw you so grown up and beautiful…I didn’t want you to feel like a sister any longer.”

“Oh.”

I should have said more, I could feel him silently begging me to say more, but the words weren’t there. Fisher stood frozen in a crowd of swirling couples. His eyes swept over me, worried amber fervently searching for something in mine. But they didn’t find what they wanted, and he abruptly left the dance floor.

I trailed after him, my stomach in a twist of fluttering knots. As a girl, I’d dreamt of this moment, wished and prayed for its arrival, but now that it was here, it felt flat. Even after his admission, I longed to search the room for Cassius instead, worried he might have overheard.

“Fisher, wait!” I exclaimed, following him to the outskirts of the room.

“Forget it, Annaleigh. Just forget I said anything.”

I grabbed at his hand, forcing him to stop. “Where are you going?”

He waved his arm, freeing himself from my grasp. “Anywhere but here. Don’t follow me.”

“You…surprised me.” My words fell out, feeble and weak.

He raked his fingers through his hair. “I should have stayed quiet—especially after everything Camille said about that watchmaker.”

“What does Edgar have to do with anything?”

Fisher tilted his head, incredulity sharp across his face. “You’re not going to end up with a Keeper of the Light. I know that. I knew that. But when I saw you in that dress tonight…” He reached out and pushed aside a loose curl behind my ear. His thumb traced across my cheek. “I just dared to dream otherwise.” He shook his head. “Forgive me. I’ve made a mess of this evening. I just…I need to just…” He turned and raced out of the room.

“Fisher!” I called after him, but he was gone.

“Lovers’ quarrel?” A stranger loomed over me, impossibly tall and gaunt. His tailcoat had been cut from a gorgeously thick emerald silk. Embroidered across the lapels was a three-headed dragon, claws raised as if to attack. Its eyes seemed to wink in the strange floral candlelight, but it was the man’s mask that wholly disconcerted me. Made of a clear resin, it covered his entire face, hiding the man beneath. Enormous eyes were painted across his own, allowing visibility only through tiny pinpricks in the false irises. Their brushstrokes were full of jealousy, mad with want.