FROST- Jotun Chronicles #1

The Dance

I joined Loki in the throne room afterwards. A group of musicians stood by the fire place, the fiddle player stood in front, jumping around in time to his music, his long dark hair flopping in front of his face. The hall was filled with riotous laughter and the stomping of feet as the fire jotun spun one another around the room.  Loki leaned against the hearth, warming his back on the fire, his arms crossed over his chest. He watched the dancers with amusement.

When I entered the room he bolted across the floor and grabbed my hand, “come on, dance with me!”

                “I can’t,” I protested, trying to drag my hand away, “I’m a terrible dancer. I’ll probably fall on my face.”

He grinned, holding me fast, “I’ll hold you up, I promise.”

“Loki…” my feet slid on the floor as he pulled me into the center of the dance floor, “I don’t know how!”

“Neither do we!” Loki said, “look at us, no one actually knows what they’re doing.”

He gestured at the crowd. Upon closer inspection it appeared he was right. The jotun were basically just stomping their feet to the rollicking tune, or hooking their arms and spinning in dizzy, laughing circles.

“There’s no actual steps?” I asked suspiciously.

“None whatsoever,” Loki held up his hand, his face solemn, “I swear it. Come on,” he held out his arm formerly, and after a moment of hesitation, I took it. I just knew I was going to make a total fool of myself in front of him.

Loki took my hand and swung me around, spinning me in a circle in time to the music so that I faced away from him, pulling me back against his chest. For a brief second his lips were right next to my ear, his breath tickled my skin, “not so bad, is it?”

He was so close, “it’s okay,” I stammered.

He laughed deep in his throat, and I could feel it rumble in his chest. Then the music picked up and he spun me back out and away from him. We made eye contact and I could tell by the glint in his eyes that he was enjoying this. I felt a little breathless myself.

More spinning and stamping, and soon I found myself with a ridiculous grin on my face. The music was so bubbly and happy, it really made you want to move. I could almost feel the beat, if I listened closely, move in time with it. When I looked up Loki was shaking his head.

“You’re a shameless liar.”

“What?”

“You said you couldn’t dance.”

“I can’t,” I protested.

He smirked at me, “You look fine, darlin’.”

My face flushed red, and I actually missed a step, but before I could think too hard about what he’d just said Loki grabbed my hand and spun me around again, facing forward this time, pulling me close. Our faces were inches apart. His lips were inches from mine. Would he kiss me in front of all these people?  I glanced sideways, my face hot. No one was even looking at us. The jotun whirled past us in a blur, laughing with one another. No one was watching.

I looked back at Loki, and his brown eyes fixed on mine. My body stiffened in shock as he closed the inches between us, his mouth pressing hotly against mine. Then he spun me away again. Was the room spinning because of all the twirling, or because of the kiss? I didn’t know and I didn’t care.

Back again, staring up at him. He smiled at me, his expression cocky, “do you like dancing now?”

I did my best to look bored, like his kiss hadn’t affected me in the least, “it’s okay.”