A Court of Innocents

3: Mistranslation

The sun was setting along the Sidra by the time we finished dinner. Our small group stopped along one of the river's western bridges to watch the sun melt into the horizon. We'd ordered two bottles of wine at dinner and my veins now buzzed with the slight taint of alcohol. It made me feel light, giddy, and that, along with being with friends, almost made me forget about everything that had happened today.

Almost.

It didn't help that I kept thinking his name, or that I liked the way it sounded more and more.

Tamlin.

Tamlin.

Tamlin.

The mating bond didn't erase the terrible things he'd done to my friends, but it made my heart want to look the other way. I hated it.

Hated it enough that, by the time we made it to the dance club, I ordered three shots of vodka, intent on drinking until I couldn't even remember Tamlin's name.

Mor and I danced together first. I couldn't tell how much time passed—ten minutes? an hour? —but I couldn't care less as we moved to the beat of such wild music, dancing like entranced faeries at a seance. It felt like memory unfolding, like a dream that had sprouted in childhood. Our laughter mixed with the pounding bass of each song until our voices became hoarse, and when she needed a break, I convinced Azriel to take her place.

Dancing with Azriel—dancing against him, our bodies morphing into one—proved to be the only remedy in forgetting my mate. I was in his arms, our breaths mingling together, and all I knew was this intoxicating man in front of me. His initial touches were hesitant, but each new song birthed a greater confidence, and I watched him bloom. When he finally put his hands on my hips, my back colliding with his chest as we swayed together, my body was set on fire. Warm breath caressed the space just under my ear. Despite the heat in the room and in my core, I suddenly had goosebumps all over.

"If we dance anymore," Azriel eventually whispered, "your feet will start to bleed."

"Let them." I could think of no greater reason to suffer.

He breathed a laugh against me, flaring a carnal desire that could no longer be ignored. The sound was at once amused and chiding.

"Take me outside, then," I compromised, though every inch of me dreaded the moment our bodies would be parted.

He grabbed my hand and led me through the humid crowd of dancing bodies. I was dizzy on my feet behind him, though he luckily didn't let go of my hand until the cool outside air caressed our faces.

Velaris was already sound asleep, though there were a few blocks in the heart of the city—like the one we were on now—that never slept. The cobblestone street was filled with late night partiers, their raucous voices carrying across the river. It was something I'd never minded about this place. The constant noise —the ever-present reminder that the citizens here were safe enough to stay out this late—had always been something I'd thrived on.

Until now.

In this moment, I only wanted to be alone with Azriel. Now, these people were simply an obstacle to navigate.

Azriel tugged on my hand, leading me in that subtly dominant way of his. The ground swayed enough that Azriel wrapped his arm around me, and I leaned against him as we trekked up the street.

"What about Cassian and Mor?" I asked. We should let them know that we're leaving, I thought, though I was too lost in the haze of alcohol to know if I said it out loud.

Azriel's voice was a quiet, soothing rumble as he told me, "They left the club an hour ago."

"Oh." I'd been so wrapped up in dancing that I hadn't even noticed. "But... you stayed."