You Are Mine (Mine #1)(92)
Zade walks up a few stairs and says loud enough others can hear, but quiet enough I feel he's talking directly to me.
“You're a free woman now. Would you give me the honor of being the first to dance with you?”
I don't know what freedom will bring, but spending a dance in his arms sounds like a good start. “Of course.”
He takes my hand and wraps it around his elbow like before. We make our way down the stairs. People part around us. A few couples head for the doors, but most are unable to look away from us.
Once we're in the middle of the room, I place my hand on his shoulder while he puts his on the bottom of my shoulder blade. Our free hands clasp together. We step with the beat. People have yet to mingle in other rooms, leaving very little room to dance. My awareness of them fades.
The music floods through me. Zade leads me through the steps. We work together. Moving and flowing. Light as cotton floating through air.
The only time I take my eyes from his is when required by the dance. I spin and twirl, his hands catching my waist. It feels good. Right and sure. My dress and his cravat flash to a new color. My joy bubbles up. I smile at him and move with the music.
As the song comes to an end, instead of standing and waiting for my curtsy, he does something new. He holds my hand and supports my waist then dips me backward. I slowly stretch up, wanting to keep moving toward him until our lips meet.
A new song begins. I shake my head to clear it.
“Another?” he asks.
Everyone is still staring at us. I'd rather dance again than deal with them and the ramifications of what he's done. What I now am. “Please.”
He twirls me and beckons me back to him. This time, I try not to lose myself, but to watch the crowd around me. I can't let myself get caught up in him. Even more important now that I'm free. And he's free for Waverly. Some of my lightness slinks away.
A couple begins dancing. They spin past. Councilman Daniel and Annabelle. Another joins. And another. Soon, the floor is full of dancing couples and not staring people.
When the song ends, he brings my gloved hand to his lips and gives it a kiss. Warmth tickles the back of my hand. “Hosting duties call.”
I sigh and follow him to the side of the room where those not dancing wait. We spend the next hour mingling. Or rather, he mingles. Lots of warlocks and even more women want to talk to him, but none want to even stand by me. Is this change going to help save his life or make them more intent on killing him? I thought they'd want to kill him more for it, but as eager as everyone is to talk to him, I'm not sure.
Either way, he's safe enough with so many enthused admirers. I drift away from him, moving in and out of rooms and the garden. The flowers are in full bloom and the temperature is cool, but not crisp, despite being fall. Bethany, Cynthia, and Waverly's ideas really mesh well together. Though people don't want to even look at me, they appear to be having a good time, smiling, dancing, eating, talking.
A warlock next to me laughs as his companion's hair changes color. This time they both drink from their glasses making both their hair change colors. Then they too make their way over to Zade. Someone squeals as one of the floating lights plummets toward them, but the sound quickly turns to glee as the spark transforms into a gold piece.
Nothing is like the only other ball I attended. The more time passes, and the more spells and surprises come, the happier everyone seems to be. I can barely see Zade with the crowd surrounding him. What would they think if they knew it was put together by a servant and two other women? At least the innovative ideas seem to help Zade.
At one point I see Bethany and mother. Bethany's hair no longer has the sparkles. Father must have unspelled them. At least she's still wearing her dress Katherine spent so much time on. I start toward them. Before I've taken a couple steps, Father spots me and rushes them to the other side of the room. Will I ever be allowed to see my sisters again? Will Father punish them in some way over my freedom? The thought makes me ill. Cynthia doesn't even know what happened. Will she think I abandoned her? Suddenly, being free doesn't seem as great.
I pass by Annabelle and Waverly at different times. They seem to be having more luck, chatting with lots of people. No doubt their spelled ball gowns are the attraction. Hopefully, the dresses will gain interest in Katherine designing more instead of casting a negative light on it like I'm doing. I hope she doesn't regret making it for me.
Others are wearing dresses Katherine clearly had a hand in making. A few are even spelled in some small way. Wonder how they talked their husbands into that. They also seem to gain much attention. It may be enough to offset the damage I've done.
A servant passes by with a tray of glasses, more drinks to change hair color or a potion that leaves you with a high pitched voice for several minutes? Maybe something else entirely. There are more potions and spells than I could have ever guessed. I wonder if Katherine has had a chance to try them. Plus, she may not know that I'm free. And even if she does, it'd be nice to know what she thinks of it. I might as well take her some treats.
I stop by the refreshment room. The food is so unfamiliar, I don't know what it is. I recognize some fish and a bowl of strawberries, but mostly I'm left to guess. Nothing looks appetizing in my current mood, but I grab things for Katherine. Hopefully a few of them are spelled in a way that she'll enjoy.
Despite the spell to keep the perfect temperature, I'm hot and thirsty. Maybe the spell isn't working or I'm nervous. Either way, I grab a drink for myself and an extra for Katherine. It sparkles on my tongue, somehow feeling like the sparkles on my dress. I make a mental note to ask Zade how he did that later. If he's still alive. I glance at him. He's laughing with a group of warlocks. He'll be fine.