A Dangerous Dance [BOOK ONE]

Chapter Twenty-Five

ALTHEA HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS, SO MANY things she wanted to say to Blake.

However, the only thing that came out of her mouth was, "H-how?"

Blake was grinning, a crooked grin, "I-I followed you. Every night, I followed you with the cloak and I saw everything. But then you never came back that last night and I knew you had been trapped."

Althea suddenly realized that now was not exactly the right time for them to play catch up. She could hear the raised voices of the other princes, and worst of all, she could hear the Shadow Queen herself, livid with rage.

"We better go," She broke in, "The Queen will find us. The rest of the girls should be across the lake by now."

Blake nodded, his face turning stony and grim. He grabbed Althea's hand and together, they ran for the stairs. Down they went, hearing the voices grow louder. They were following them.

When Blake and Althea made it to the bottom of the stairs, Althea was shocked to see the silver boat still there, all of her sisters waiting. She was relieved to see Ophelia among them, sitting in Faith's lap.

"Blythe!" Althea cried, "I told you to leave!"

"We go together or not at all." Cassidy started primly, quoting Althea's own words from just before. Althea gave her a look, to which Cassidy grinned.

"Lord Etherson?" The girls peered, eyes huge, at the gentleman.

Blake gave them all another crooked smile, "Cass, Gwyn, Nat."

"B-but how did you-"

"No time, Dahlia," Interrupted Althea, pushing Blake into the boat without ceremony and jumping in with him, "We need to leave." She turned to Leo, gesturing to the tall prince.

Leo simply shook his head, "No, Your Highness."

Althea blinked, "W-what?"

"No, Your Highness. We both know there is no place for me up there. I thank you, for trying, but this was hopeless from the start. I will stay." The faintest hint of a smile crossed his face, "Go, Your Highness, you belong there. I do not."

A pang of sadness twisted Althea's stomach.

"Somehow. Someday. I'll repay your debt." She spoke with a firmness, "I swear it."

Leo only stooped his head, passing off the long silver pole to Blake. He gave Althea a low bow, then disappeared up the stairs towards the voice like melting shadow.

Blake pushed off from the rocky harbor without delay, his arms straining from the effort. Ophelia crawled into Althea's lap and hugged her tight. She hugged her younger sister back just as tight.

They glided through the black, glassy water at a steady pace towards the shore. As they approached, Althea narrowed her eyes, looking at the small group of figures standing at the beach.

"How did you get across?" Blythe asked Blake, holding a quaking Phoebe in her arms.

Blake groaned as he pushed with the pole, "We found a very small wooden boat half buried under the sand further upshore."

"We?" Evelina echoed, tilting her head.

Blake did not reply, too much of his attention focused on working the pole.

The question was soon answered as they began to run aground on the shore and the small group was visible. Cassidy realized first, seeing Prime Minister Locklyn standing next to Jamie.

"Andrew!" She cried, flying out of the boat with an impressive leap and a flash of red and throwing herself into Locklyn's arms. He seemed quite surprised to suddenly have his arms full of a sobbing, joyous Cassidy, however he held her close and whispered in her ear as she wept into his cravat.