Dancing on Strings

Clockwork Boy

"Brought me one?"

Mai's head snapped up, almost slamming into Griffin's if he hadn't lifted his head in time as she glared at him.

"How have you brought me one?!" she snarled. "Where is he?"

"You can't go to him yet," Griffin said.

"Griffin—!"

"I swear, as soon as you can, I will tell you how to find him but you can't go yet. It takes time. Neither he nor Dalton were expected. And Kazimir is powerful. Even if I tell you where to find him, you won't be able to get to him or do anything. That place is closed off and only Reve and Angelique can get in."

"Angelique?" Mai copied, staring at him. "What does she have to do with anything? She told me she has no role to play in this world."

Griffin grimaced, looking away. "Then I'll leave it to her to explain things," he said.

Mai stared at him and he avoided her gaze for a long time before finally closing his eyes and letting out a breath.

"Why don't you sleep?" he suggested.

Mai gaped at him. "Sleep?" she copied. "You think I can sleep? I'm in a dream! I am asleep! I might never wake up again! How can I sleep? How can you expect me to sleep?!"

"Shh, shh, Mai," Griffin said, one arm flying around her waist as he spread his thighs to drag her into the V of his legs, his free hand settling on her cheek as he stared down at her, the move stopping her voice as it grew higher and more hysterical. "It's alright, Mai."

"It's not alright!"

"It is alright," he said with such calm certainty, Mai closed her eyes against it.

Only to feel the press of his forehead against hers and the soft, warm breath of his exhale against her lips.

"It's alright," he whispered, "Don't let the fear consume you. I know what's it's like, I've been where you are now and you'll be alright."

Mai opened her eyes, looking up at him, seeing the clockwork in all it's finery, even down the to the tiny etchings in the metals in a language she couldn't understand.

"What do you mean by sleep?" she asked.

His eyes opened, the gold and blue dazzling even in the muted light.

"You are the princess of dreams," he muttered, "You stand as one of the ruling four – a non-existent role but well done for playing it right and creating the space for yourself. As one of the ruling caste, when you sleep, you have access into another plane of our world. I'll show you if you'll let me."

Mai flicked her eyes away and Griffin lifted his head, pressing his lips to her forehead and lightly getting to his feet.

"You've gone through a lot in a very short space of time. You're tired. You can't do anything to help your friends or sisters yet anyway. You should rest. Come, sleep with me."

Mai knelt there for a moment, then blinked before she snapped her head up to stare at him.

After a moment, Griffin's lips twisted into a wicked grin and he was instantly back to the teasing, playing young man she had met when The Midnight Troop had first arrived on her palace grounds.

And it wasn't The Black Rabbit causing that grin.

It was just Griffin behind that grin, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he slid his hands into his trouser pockets, notably moving his open shirt out of the way, suddenly apparently not so self-conscious about what made him so very different and apparently knowing exactly how to use the multiple layers of light and shade around the room to cast vivid shadows around the hard planes of his torso.