Read Online Ascend by Amanda Hocking - Free Book Online Page B

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.
    “No, you may not,” Loki said. I’d started to move away from
him, but he held fast onto me.
    “Loki,” I said, and my eyes widened.
    “I’m still dancing with her,” Loki said, turning to look at
him. “You can have her when I’m done.”
    “Loki,” I said again, but he was already twirling me away.
“You can’t do that.”
    “I just did,” he grinned. “Oh, Princess, don’t look so
appalled. I’m already the rebel Prince of thine enemy. I can’t do much more to tarnish my image.”
    “You can certainly tarnish mine,” I pointed out.
    “Never,” Loki said, and it was his turn to look appalled.
“I’m merely showing them how to dance.”
    He began spinning me around the dance floor in grand arcs,
my gown swirling around me. He was a brilliant dancer. We moved with grace and
speed, and everyone had stopped to watch us, but I didn’t care. This was the
way a Princess was supposed to dance on her wedding day.
    The song ended, switching to something by Mozart, and he
slowed, almost to a stop, but he kept me in his arms.
    “Thank you,” I smiled. My skin felt flushed from dancing,
and I was a little out of breath. “That was a wonderful dance.”
    “You’re welcome,” he said, staring intently at me. “You are
so beautiful.”
    “Stop,” I said, looking away from his compliment as my
cheeks reddened.
    “How can you blush?” Loki asked, laughing gently. “People
must tell you how beautiful you are a thousand times a day.”
    “It’s not the same,” I said.
    “It’s not the same?” Loki echoed. “Why? Because you know
they don’t mean it like I do?”
    We did stop dancing then, and neither of us said