𝕱𝖑𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕰𝖆𝖌𝖑𝖊.

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞 𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗: 𝕲𝖔𝖗𝖌𝖊𝖔𝖚𝖘.

Bad idea. Very bad idea. I think to myself, as I step on the toes of almost everyone who was brave enough to dance with me. Bad idea for them, too.

The toes I didn't step on, stepped on me. So it was step, or be stepped on. (I preferred step.)

I did end up dancing with Rivenstone. Not by my own choice, though.

After getting drinks, Ash dared me to participate in the complicated Toucan dance, where they swap partners, and I was drunk enough to take him up on it.

Oh, the regret. Ash is so going to pay for this. Is the only consolation I have as I stumble around the dance floor, plotting my revenge.

Maybe get him bewitched to dance for the rest of his life. Now there's an idea.

My bloodthirsty thoughts are cut off, however, when I bump into my next dance partner.

"Oh, didn't see you there, gorgeous." The familiar voice soothes my pounding head. Yep. I'm never drinking again.

I look up at him, and my feet slip. He quickly pulls me up, against his chest, saving me from a drunken concussion.

"You just can't stop saving me, can you?" I say, trying my best to stop the words from slurring. "It's my job, gorgeous." He whispers in my ear, and I shiver.

"And I can't let go." My eyes widen, as I look into those deep, simmering pools. "Why not?" I ask, my throat dry.

"Well, for one thing, you're clutching my shirt for dear life, and for another, do you want me to?" But the second part of his sentence is lost when I pull away from his shirt with a jerk.

God. That is so embarrassing.
"Um," I scramble to change the subject. "I told you you can't dance with me until you remember my name."

"It would be impossible to forget." He says softly, and my heart skips a beat. "So call me by it." I snap, sharper than intended.

His eyes jump to me, and a flicker of emotion flashes in them. "I..sorry. It's just...you don't even know me. And you probably call every girl you meet 'gorgeous' or some other-"

"That's unfair." He interrupts me calmly. "You're making assumptions, and you don't know me either, Iris."

My heart full on stops when he says my name. I force my sluggish brain to remember how to breathe.

"Uhm." I clear my throat. "Fine. No more assumptions. And no more nicknames."

"Not even gorgeous?" He says in mock sorrow. My eyes narrow. "No." We stare at each other, his ocean eyes daring me to reconsider.

He wins. That was totally unfair. I wasn't prepared.

"Fine." I sigh in defeat. "But not infront of company. It's weird."

"So, when we're alone together?" He lips curl in a wicked grin. "Who says we're ever going to be alone together?" I deadpan.

"You really don't think, in all the time you're going to be here, that you won't want to be alone with me?" He says, disbelieving.

I scoff, rolling my eyes. "Asshole."
His grin grows impossibly wider.
"Is that your nickname for me? It's very suggestive, but whatever you want, gorgeous."

"Ugh." I stomp on his foot. "You're insufferable." And that damn smirk.
Thankfully, it's time to switch partners.

I smile gratefully at my saviour. "Oh, Ash." I say, surprised. He chuckles. "Don't worry, I'm just as surprised as you, but someone had to save you."

He winks at me, and my stomach does a flip. "You're the one who put me there in the first place." I grumble. "No, you're the one who accepted the dare. I merely suggested it." He smiles in triumph.

Amazing. Now I need a saviour from my saviour.

I sigh, shaking my head. "We'll continue this conversation tomorrow, when I'm..." I struggle for the right word. "Less drunk?" He offers helpfully.

"That's your fault too." I yawn, my head beginning to throb, harder this time. "Okay, come on. Time for the drunk princess to sleep." He takes my hand and begins leading me to the tree, helping me climb it.

"Why is this so damn complicated. They couldn't just, oh, I don't know, make a hole in the ground or something?" I grumble, irritated.

"This is safer. No one would guess that the entrance is in the middle of the tree." Ash explains, though I currently can't focus on anything besides a warm bed and comfy clothes.

This dress, gorgeous as it is, loses what comfort might have existed when you've been dancing for three hours.

I haven't even worn the others, and only god knows when the greeting and after-dance is, because it's already past midnight, and I'm exhausted.

I'll just have to hope they don't miss me too much.

Someone is waiting for us when we reach the small island at the bottom of the underground chamber, and when I realise that it's Riven, a sigh escapes my lips.

"Well you two took forever." He says, standing from the rock he was sitting on.

"How did you get here before us?" Ash asks, his voice gone cold.

"I'm fast, as you penguins conveniently forget, and it's really a wonder how long it takes gorgeous here, to climb a tree."

Despite the haze clouding my head, I remember our deal, and I snap, annoyed.
"You're not supposed to call me that. We're not alone."

His eyebrow raises slightly, and I feel Ash's gaze on me, but I ignore it. "I would say we are." He deadpans, eyes cold.

I open my mouth to argue the obvious, but I stumble, and Ash puts a hand on my back, steadying me.

I see Riven gaze pointedly at his hand, and Ash withdraws it, but lets it hover, in case I fall again.
Which is going to happen in the next two seconds if I don't get to a bed.

"So are you going to tell us why you're wasting our time, or is there an actual reason?"
If Ash's voice was cold before, it's freezing now.

"Mother Aura instructed for her to sleep in Ravel tonight. So, I'll be happy to save you the trouble, and take her there myself."

"It's no trouble. And since when do you listen to Mother Aura?" Ash fires at him.

Riven opens his mouth, but I cut off his no doubt scathing reply.
"Guys, I'm really tired. Maybe we should sleep on it and decide tomorrow."

But my efforts to lighten the mood is only half successful. The tips of Riven's mouth twitch.

"And, erm..I don't think Mother Aura would be too happy if she can't find me in the morning to make my life a misery."

This finally breaks the tension, and they both chuckle.
"Fine." Ash consents, before squeezing my hand and letting go.
Riven's eyes don't miss the movement, and something flickers across them, but I'm too tired to make it out.

When we finally make it to Ravel, I'm on the verge of collapse.

"I'm supposed t..to..." My words trail off, into a yawn.
"Shh." He shushes me, before
opening the bed, and I all but collapse onto it.

"You're really going to sleep in that?" He asks me, his ocean eyes going over my now creased dress.

"Not that I mind. Did I tell you how gorgeous you look?"
He gives me a smirk that has my heart stuttering and my cheeks heating.

He leans closer, and I move back.
"Your bet that we wouldn't be alone didn't even last an hour."

I roll my tired eyes. "It wasn't a bet." I say, stifling another yawn.
His smirk grows. "Okay. Whatever you say, gorgeous."