A Dove's Tale

Chapter 133

"Are you okay?"

Yves' sky-blue eyes were so concerned that I had to giggle. It was sweet of him to worry about me, but I felt fine. Better than fine, actually. I felt great. Not a care in the world. Like I was flying and my feet weren't even touching the dance floor. And he wasn't even as good at dancing as Nokto was.

"Yes, I'm okay," I reassured him.

"Your face is really flushed," he said dubiously. "Maybe you should sit down."

"What's wrong?" Clavis asked, leaping quickly to the side with his dazed dance partner so they didn't collide with us when we stopped dancing. I giggled again. If anybody looked like they needed a break, it was her.

"Nothing," I sang out as Yves took my hand and pulled me away. "Yves is just being a worrywart."

"Wait, are you drunk?" Clavis released the bewildered woman in his arms to follow Yves and me, a wide grin spreading across his face. Yves' blue eyes widened.

"Drunk?" he spluttered.

"Drunk?" I repeated, tilting my head to the side as I thought. "Is that what this is?"

Sky-blue narrowed to a sharp glare directed at mirthful gold. The blue bounced off the gold with no effect whatsoever, like a bird hitting a window. Or a cranky little bluebird charging into a solid gold shield.

I couldn't stop giggling.

"What did you put in her drink?" Yves accused Clavis angrily.

"Nothing," Clavis defended himself, waving his hands in front of him. Yves shot him another glare before taking my arm and leading me through the dancing couples toward Chevalier, who I knew wouldn't be happy about this. But it had been a couple of hours since he left me to dance with his brothers, and he was about due for a kiss. Not in front of everybody, though. He'd hate that.

But it would be funny.

I covered my mouth as the peels of giggles turned into full-blown laughter.

"Care to let us in on the joke?" Clavis asked, his golden eyes glittering with amusement. I just shook my head, unable to speak from laughing so hard, which he apparently found hilarious. His shoulders shook, and laughter bubbled from his lips, stopping him in his tracks and making me laugh harder. I would have lost my balance laughing if it weren't for Yves' steadying hand.

"Little help here," Yves called, pulling me away from Clavis, who attempted to stumble after us. Leon swept in and grabbed Clavis by the back of his collar, dragging him after us.

"You wanna explain it to me now, or to Chevalier in a minute?" Leon growled.

"It wasn't me!" Clavis protested, spurts of laughter punctuating every word. "I'd have to be - he, he - crazy to - ha, ha - spike her drink after-"

We were garnering a lot of attention. I caught Chevalier's cool blue eyes across the room and rolled my lips inward to bite them, trying to restrain myself as he strode to meet us, but then I remembered my makeup and unrolled my lips. Where was a mirror when I needed one? Lipstick on my teeth would be really embarrassing.

Was I wearing lipstick today?

Chevalier looked upset. He really needed a kiss.

"Sorry, Chevalier," Leon said. "I was watching him, but-"

"I really didn't - ha ha-"

While Clavis attempted to mount an unconvincing and pathetic defense, I pulled free from Yves and stepped toward Chevalier. "Don't worry," I said, wrapping my arms around one of his and leaning against him. His crystal blue eyes searched my face, and his jaw tensed slightly. "I'm fine. This is probably just because I haven't eaten today."