“I do wish you would’ve taken me up on my offer, though.” He licked his lips, which were already damp with perspiration. “Remember? The last time we danced together, I suggested that you and I –”
“Excuse me,” Tove said, appearing at my side. “I’d like to dance with my wife, if you don’t mind.”
“Yes, of course.” The Chancellor bowed and stepped away, but he didn’t bother to mask the irritation on his blubbery face.
“Thank you,” I said as Tove took my hand in his.
“Do not dance with him anymore,” Tove said, sounding exasperated. “I beg of you. Stay as far away from him as you can.”
“With pleasure,” I said and gave him an odd look. “Why?”
“That man is insufferable.” He grimaced and glanced back at the Chancellor, who was already shoving another piece of wedding cake in his mouth. “He has the most perverse, vile thoughts I’ve ever heard. And he gets so much louder when he’s close to you. The disgusting things he would do to you…” Tove actually shivered at that.
“What?” I asked. “How do you know? I thought you couldn’t read thoughts?”
“I can’t,” Tove said. “I can only hear when people are projecting, and he projects when he’s excited apparently. What makes it worse is that I spent all day moving things so my abilities would be weak. I can barely hear anything. But I hear him loud and clear.”
“He’s that bad?” I asked, feeling grossed out that I had let the Chancellor touch me.
“He’s horrible,” Tove nodded. “As soon as we get a chance, we have got to get him out of office. Out of Förening if possible. I don’t want him anywhere near our people.”
“Yes, definitely,” I agreed. “I’ve already been working on a plan to get rid of him.”
“Good,” Tove said, then smiled at me. “We’re already working together.”
A murmur ran through the crowd, and I looked around to see what all the fuss was about. Then I saw him, walking through the tables as if everybody wasn’t stopping to stare at him.
Loki had ventured down from where he’d been hiding in the servants’ quarters. Since granting him amnesty, he was no longer being guarded and was free to roam as he pleased, but I hadn’t exactly invited him to the wedding.
As Tove and I danced, I didn’t take my eyes off Loki. He walked around the dance floor toward the refreshments, but he kept watching me, reminding me of an animal stalking its prey. He got a glass of champagne from the table, and even when he drank it his eyes never left me.
Another Markis came over and cut in to dance with me, but I barely noticed when I switched partners from Tove. I tried to focus on the person I was dancing with. But there was something about the way Loki looked at me, and I couldn’t shake it.
The song had switched to something contemporary. That was probably the sheet music that Willa had slipped the orchestra. She’d insisted the whole thing would be far too dull if they only played classical.
The murmur died down, and people returned to their dancing and talking. Loki took another swig of his champagne, then set the glass down and walked across the dance floor. Everyone parted around him, but I’m not sure if it was out of fear or respect.
He wore all black, even his shirt. I’m not sure where he got the clothes from, but he did look debonair.
“May I have this dance?” Loki asked my dance partner, but his eyes were on me.
“Um, I don’t know if you should,” the Markis fumbled, but I was already moving away from him.
“No, it’s alright,” I said.
Uncertainly, the Markis stepped back, and Loki took my hand. When he placed his hand on my back, a shiver ran up my spine, but I tried to hide it and put my hand on his shoulder.
“You know, you weren’t invited to this,” I told him, but he merely smirked as we danced.
“So throw me out.”
“I might.” I raised my head defiantly, and that only made him laugh.
“Oh, this party would be so dull without me,” Loki said.
“You didn’t hear about the ceremony, then?” I asked. “Oren came to wish me well.”
“I heard one of the guards talking about it,” Loki said, his caramel eyes growing serious. “They said you did well and that you stood up for yourself.”
“I tried to anyway,” I shrugged. “He’s looking for you.”
“The King?” Loki asked, and I nodded. “Are you going to hand me over to him?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” I teased, and he smiled again, erasing his momentary seriousness. “So, where’d you get the suit?”
“Believe it or not, that lovely friend of yours, Willa,” Loki said. “She brought me a whole slew of clothes last night. When I asked her why she was being so generous, she said it was out of fear that I would run around naked.”
“That does sound like something you would do,” I smiled. “Why are you wearing all black, though? Didn’t you know you were going to a wedding?”
“On the contrary,” he said, doing his best to look unhappy. “I’m in mourning over the wedding.”
“Oh, because it’s too late?” I asked.
“No, Princess, it’s never too late.” His voice was light, but his eyes were solemn.
“May I cut in?” the Best Man asked.