lovely dance partner, but I owe it to the others to continue on with introductions.” Now that we’ve stopped dancing, the world has steadied some. My vision still blurs at the corners, and if I move too quickly my balance sways, but it’s better. “Why don’t you find me tomorrow? I could use someone to show me around the island.” Even light-headed, I don’t miss the way his chest swells, and I laugh quietly at his eagerness.
“I’d be honored.” He doesn’t miss a beat. “I’ll wait here for you around midmorning?”
I don’t have the chance to answer. The burn of bile rises in my throat, and I shut my eyes to steady it, not about to make a fool out of myself before the entire island.
“Your Majesty? Are you sure there’s nothing I can—”
“You can get out of the way and give her some air.”
From the immediate wave of warmth and relief that floods me, I know the voice belongs to Bastian. Opening my eyes again, I see he’s there before me, pressing a glass of water into my hands. When Elias hesitates, Bastian’s eyes flare darkly, voice lowering into a growl.
“Turn around and walk away. You’re going to draw attention if you keep staring.”
But it’s too late for that. The Ikaean reporter in the corner is working his magic on the parchment in his hands, and I’m sure there are a dozen others I can’t see who are doing the same.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Elias,” I say urgently, trying to smile but failing miserably as a new wave of nausea rolls over me. Fortunately, he takes the hint and bows his head before backing away.
“Tomorrow, then. Feel better, Your Majesty.”
The moment he’s gone, I sway but don’t fall. Bastian’s hands are on my shoulders, steadying me. By the look on his face, it’s clear he’s been watching all night. Not that I expected he wouldn’t be.
“Well, you certainly have a type.” Though some of the bitterness in his voice left with Elias, it’s still far from thrilled. “What happened?”
I keep hold of his arm to steady myself. “I think the wine must have hit me at once. I thought I’d been pacing myself, but…” My voice trails off as he nods and sets a firm hand on my waist. The feeling of it there sparks a heat in my belly as I remember all the places those hands trailed my skin earlier, back in my room.
“How do you feel right now?”
“Light-headed. But there are still so many people I need to meet. I have to—have to go meet them.” I spent too much time dancing with Elias; I should have spent that time making sure I’d met everyone. I’m about to pry myself from Bastian and hunt through the crowd when his fingers splay across my hip. Tense, I eye them. “What are you doing?”
He straightens, avoiding my eye by looking upward. “You’re slurring your words, Amora. The last thing we want is for people to talk about how their queen got too drunk on her first visit to Curmana, or to share those blasted moving pictures. I’m not letting you go back out there on your own.” He turns to the crowd, raising his voice for them before I can argue. “This will be the last dance of the evening for Her Majesty! She has an early morning tomorrow, and plenty more time to meet everyone. If she’d like more time with you, you’ll be summoned tomorrow.” He says the last several words with audible annoyance, gritting them through his teeth with much effort.
“Another dance?” I grumble, head pounding and feet aching.
“We can’t rush out of here without looking suspicious,” Bastian says gently, at least having the decency to look as though he regrets making me do this. “Humor me with one more dance, and then we’ll make a clean escape. We’ll get you some food and water, so you can sleep off that wine and spend tomorrow with my look-alike. But for now, one more dance.”
Though he keeps his voice light and teasing, there’s fear in his words. Through our curse, those feelings of his seep into me so fiercely it’s as though they’re my own.
This time I give in to them and lean into Bastian’s chest. Over his shoulder I spot Ferrick, watching and ready to sweep in should I need him. But right now Bastian’s touch is exactly what I need to help with this sickness. The feeling of his skin against mine calms my