A Dangerous Dance [BOOK ONE]

Chapter Nine

THE GIRLS WERE RESTLESS AND UNEASY as the clock ticked on, bringing them closer and closer to midnight.

Althea's fever had broken not three hours ago, rendering her able to keep down a weak cup of tea and a few biscuits. She was still extremely weak and the cough still stole her breath, however, and Lenora's fever raged on.

"It's almost midnight." Cassidy murmured from her spot at the window. She was watching her lady's watch religiously, as the seconds ticked by and the minutes seeming impossibly long.

A dreadful feeling settled in Althea's stomach. Something horrible was going to happen.

Then they all heard it.

It started as a rustling of wind outside, gently blowing the ivy vines against their window. As it began to pick up, the window panes rattled and shook while the vines scraped across the glass.

Althea knew as soon as it started.

Cassidy opened the window, leaning out to see what was happening, and gasped in uncontainable fear. Before Althea's brain had really processed what she was doing, she was out of bed with the one-shot pistol in her hand, loaded in record time even for her.

She felt sisters, the ones able to leave their beds, crowd around her, trying to see out the window.

"Thea, it's-it's—" Cassidy was gasping for breath, shaking violently in fear.

"I know." Althea answered, her voice hoarse from coughing, but she was determined.

Virgo was only a shadowy silhouette of a man, climbing the ivy vines until he was right below their window, looking up at Althea. Beneath him was Ophiuchus, just as shadowy and black as his brother.

"You've made your point." She spat at him, "Go back to hell."

She took aim, her entire body shaking, but her hand was steady when she placed her finger over the trigger. Her training prepared her for the backfire, bracing her body against the bucking weapon, and the smell of gunpowder filled her nostrils.

Her shot caught Virgo in his shoulder, causing him to hiss in pain and loose his grip on the vines. He took Ophiuchus with him, both of them crashing to the snow covered ground below. Because they weren't quite humans, they made no imprint on the snow.

Althea watched out the window to make sure they would return to the place where they dwelled. When she was sure they were gone, she collapsed into a fit of coughing.

"That's it then." Holly stated bitterly, drawing all of the girls attention, "We'll be dancing forever."

"Oh, Hol, don't say that." Evelina rasped out, staring at Holly.

She looked at each girl, crossing her arms, "Why not? She's going to make us dance every day now because of this. We're never going to be free."

None of them contradicted her, confirming that all of them were thinking the same thing.

Althea pressed a hand to her chest, gasping for breath after coughing. The girls watched her, sad and frightened and grim. Althea had no answer to any of them.

Cassidy was still quaking in fear. Seeing Virgo here, in their world, had shaken her up badly. He wasn't a pleasant dance partner, all of the girls knew it, and he was very controlling of Cassidy. She hated him.

"Let's get her into bed." Althea managed to get out, even though her voice was strained. She wasn't of much help, but Evelina and Holly managed it without much difficulty.

The rest of the girls all went back to bed. Althea curled up next to Lenora, still shivering, but she couldn't find relief in sleep.

Was Holly right? Would they be dancing for the rest of their lives, trying to repay a debt that wasn't theirs? Their mother had danced until it ultimately led to her death. They all knew that if she hadn't been as weak as she had when Phoebe was born, she might've survived.

Althea missed her terribly every day. In the Army, there hadn't been any time to think about her mother or her family. There had been too much to do. Of course, Althea sent letters home all the time, but there simply hadn't been time to be homesick.

Her mother had had the ability to lighten up any room she walked into. Her smile had been dazzling, her presence warm and inviting. Althea ached for the times when her mother had ran her fingers through Althea's hair while her head was resting in her lap.

Sleep didn't come easy, bringing with it ghosts and dreams of the past, and Althea found herself waking many times, coughing wracking through her body.

When morning came, Blythe's fever broke and Lenora wheezed out that she was hungry. Althea was able to leave her bed for a short time and dress with the help of Cassidy.

She managed to move from the bed chamber out to the sitting room to sit on a couch.

"Cassie, what's this?" She asked, staring at a small bouquet of full-bloom, yellow roses that sat on a small table.

Cassidy wasn't even looking at her as she took a crying Phoebe from the frail arms of coughing Evelina, "A maid brought it in this morning."

Frowning, Althea noticed a small note attached to the twine holding the rose stems together. Her name was written on it in sloppy, yet elegant, scrawl.

In Great Calmark, yellow roses are a symbol of friendship and honesty. Like these suggest, I wish for us to at least be friends. I apologize profoundly for being the cause of your illness and wish you a quick and full recovery.
Yours Truly,
Blake Etherson

'At least be friends?'

"Who are they from, Thea?" Iris asked, sinking into the seat next her and trying to lean over to read the note.

Althea quickly closed up the paper so she couldn't see and tucked it into her bodice, "Just someone wishing me well from the city."

Iris rolled her eyes, and after coughing in her handkerchief, she said, "A wisher-well sending roses? If it was someone from the city, they would've sent anemones for good health. Roses are romantic. So who sent them really?"

Althea plucked one from the vase, rubbing a satin pedal between her fingers. A rose didn't have a thick perfume, but she loved the faint scent it did give up.

"I know who did." Natalie piped up with a devilish grin, "It was Blake."

Iris's mouth fell open in pure shock. Althea felt blood rush to her pale cheeks in embarrassment.

"Blake sent you roses?"

She cleared her throat, "He was just wishing me well."

She neglected to tell her sister that he sent them as a sign of friendship.