Page 34 of Rite of Unity

His smirk dropped.“Of course.”

I cleared my throat, lifting my arm as if in reminder of the distance we should maintain.

I searched for something to say to fill the awkward silence.

“You’re from Michigan City?”

He nodded.“Ever been?”

I snorted, tearing my hand from his grasp to cover my mouth.“What kind of question is that?”

“If this whole thing doesn’t work out for you, I’d love to take you.”

My mouth fell into a flat line.

The song ended, and I backed up, freeing my hand from his.

He watched me go, saying nothing, and I moved faster, searching the crowd for a familiar face.

A hand slid across my back, and I spun, ready to scream.“Hey.Maryn.It’s me.”

I exhaled a sigh of relief and reached for Elias’s hand.

“I need some air.”

Chapter 10

Elias

Icaughttheeyeofa woman in gray near the door and tipped my head toward the patio.She moved, following quietly after us as we left the ballroom.

Maryn’s hand was tight in mine as she led us outside.I watched the loose tendrils of her hair flying wildly in the soft breeze as we stepped out onto a patio lit only by dim string lights.It was almost romantic.

She released my hand.“All those cameras and the eyes.I just… needed air.”

I reached forward to steady her, but she held up a hand.

I let it fall.

She inhaled slowly.

When she’d asked me to come outside with her, I'd followed without thinking.But perhaps she just didn’t want to come outside alone.The optics would be bad if any other man had followed her out.

“I’ll give you some space.”

“No.It’s just—” she paced away from me, her skirts sparkling when she moved.

My gaze lingered on her hips, waiting for the next reveal of those hidden gems.

She faced me again.“It's cruel,” she said.“Making us wait like that.”

I leaned against the wall, taking in her blotchy chest and its unsteady rise and fall.I had thought about it.It was the reason I hadn’t read their scores aloud.But dancing with each of them, lining them up to await their sentence.They didn’t deserve it.

I dipped my chin.“I see.”

She looked at me, eyes searching mine.

I straightened, pushing off the wall.