Chapter 206: ’Can I Have This Dance, My Queen?’
Chapter 206: Can I Have This Dance, My Queen?
Elyn’s POV
One gently removed his wine glass from his hand.
Another delicately lifted mine from my hands, and a third shadow—traitorous creature—took my hand.
And placed it in Zorathys’.
My breath hitched just slightly.
His fingers were warm, like always. Long and elegant as they curled naturally around mine.
The music shifted as if in tune with what had just happened.
The orchestra—clever demons—had transitioned into something slower. Smoother. The kind of melody meant for gliding across polished floors under judgmental chandeliers.
Zorathys tilted his head.
"Dance with me."
I stared at him.
"You know I cannot dance."
"You can."
"No, I absolutely cannot."
He lifted one brow.
"You are forgetting."
"Forgetting what?"
"That you can dance."
I gave him a flat look.
"I have stepped on your foot numerous times, Zorathys. Did you forget that when you were teaching me to dance? Or the fact that I couldn’t even hop to the beat?"
"I can’t forget that," he said with a low chuckle that sent a delighted feeling through my veins.
"I recovered my energy from watching you dance, after all."
And that feeling immediately stopped.
"Nice of you to remind me that my dancing gave you energy."
He smiled at that. "You forget, Firefly, that the reason you cannot dance is because you think too much while dancing."
I opened my mouth to protest, but he continued.
"You focus on where your feet are supposed to be. You calculate every movement. You anticipate failure."
"That is because failure is what happens."
His lips twitched.
"You are the Queen of the Demon Realm."
"Queen-to-be."
"You face nobles without flinching," he continued, not minding my words.
"I’ve only just met them."
He paused. "True, but then you argue with me."
"...Well... that is true."
"I’m the scariest demon in the realm, and yet, you do not fear me, but you fear a dance."
"It is not fear. It is realism."
He stepped slightly closer.
"You forget something else."
"And that is?"
"I am with you."
His voice lowered.
"You will not fall, Firefly. You will not stumble either."
The confidence in his tone annoyed me.
And comforted me.
Which was significantly more annoying.
I hesitated.
"But," I began carefully, "Caleth and Draeven have not yet introduced themselves."
His expression dimmed immediately.
"I am tired of introductions."
I blinked in shock.
"With the way the dukes and duchesses are presenting themselves tonight," he continued, his gaze flicking toward the crowd, "soon there will be a line."
I followed his gaze.
He wasn’t wrong.
Whispers had begun. Subtle glances. Nobles observing which territory approached first, which bowed deeper, which lingered longer.
"They will all want to introduce themselves," he finished.
"That is because this ball is my official introduction," I reminded him patiently. "Of course they will need to present themselves."
He made a face. A deeply unimpressed, faintly offended face.
"The demons do not deserve to introduce themselves to you."
I stared at him.
"That is not how diplomacy works."
"It should be."
"That is not how society works."
"It should be."
I resisted the urge to sigh.
He looked genuinely displeased by the idea that others might consider themselves worthy of speaking my name.
"You are being unreasonable," I informed him.
"I am being correct."
"That is not the same thing."
The shadows finished placing our glasses aside.
The orchestra’s melody deepened.
Couples had begun drifting toward the center of the ballroom.
He looked at our joined hands as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Then he looked back at me.
"I will regain my energy," he said lazily, "by dancing with you."
"That is not how energy works."
"It is for me, and besides, you refused to postpone the ball, so you have to dance with me to help me regain my energy," he told me.
I opened my mouth to argue again when he shook his head.
"You have no more excuses, Firefly. The ones you tried to bring up fell on deaf ears," he said softly with that same infuriating smirk on his face.
I sighed. "Fine, but you better keep to your promise and make sure I don’t stumble or fall."
He smiled, and then we appeared at the center of the ballroom.
Demons subtly parted, making way for us at the center.
"See? Every demon here was anticipating you dancing with me," Zorathys told me.
"Zorathys, if you draw my attention to the demons, then I will stumble," I said in a harsh whisper.
"I told you already that I wouldn’t let that happen," he said to me.
"And I know it’s inevitable. I cannot dance, Zorathys," I said to him. "You know what? Let’s just stop this."
"Firefly, it is protocol to dance."
"Protocol?" I asked him.
"Mandatory?" he asked me, then shrugged his shoulders. "I don’t know. I am not a stickler for rules like Ignivar is."
That was not news to me. It was very obvious that Zorathys just did what he liked. One day I was going to ask him how he was able to rule the demons for years and still remain King.
"Since you are not a stickler for rules, let’s forget that this is to be done. I’d rather not disgrace myself," I told him.
"Why are we circling over this again and again?" he asked tiredly.
"Because I..."
"Firefly," he called out softly. "Look at me. Forget everyone else here."
I paused and stared into his red orbs. I noticed how he looked at me intently, like I mattered to him, even though deep down I knew I was nothing more than a plaything for him. Someone he found interesting.
"Are you calm now?" he asked me softly.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure. My mouth moved with my head. "Yes," I said, even though my pulse was racing.
He smiled softly, then bowed, my hand still in his as his eyes remained locked on mine.
"Can I have this dance, my queen?"