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"I’ crookedly When he stretches out a hand to me, my body shivers

I know I shouldn’t I know I should shut the door and not go down this road

But he’s leaving to fight, , I put my hand in his and let hiht falls on the floor, bright enough for us to see by In the silvery light, the red blush in my skin is barely visible--I look the sa the wood floor as Cal rearranges the sitting roo space for us to practice The chamber is secluded, but the hu, but no one coe device, a little box, out of his jacket and sets it in thefor so teach"No, but it’ll help"

Suddenly, a pulsing beat explodes from the box, and I realize it’s a speaker, like the ones in the arena back home Only this is for ht and quick, like a heartbeat Across from me, Cal smiles wider, and his foot taps in ti with the music It’s so bouncy and upbeat, not at all like the cold, s of ho to reht hs A dru For the first tiht of a throne on his shoulders

I feel it too as my fears and worries lift, if only for a fewalong on Cal’s cycle

Cal’s much better at this than ine how idiotic Iends As the notes fade away into the air, it feels like I’h me; I shouldn’t be here

"This probably isn’t the best idea, Cal"

He cocks his head, pleasantly confused "Why’s that?"

He’s really going to make me say it "I’m not even supposed to be alone with Maven" I stuwith you in a dark roohs and shrugs Another song, sloith a haunting tune, fills the roorins crookedly "Unless you want to step on his feet all night?"

"I have excellent footing, thank you verymy ar," he says "The dance floor, not soin ti ainst hi He’s a soldier at heart, and soldiers like to win "This is the sas you’ll hear at the ball It’s a simple dance, easy to learn"

"I’ll find so hih box and I try not to think about his closeness, or the calluses of his hands To h with years of work

"You one

I’ht Maybe it’s the darkness, or maybe it’s the dance He seems like he did when I first er onover where my wound was "Maven fixed you up nicely" There’s an odd bitterness to his voice

"It was Julian Julian and Sara Skonos" Though Cal doesn’t react as strongly as Maven did, his jaw tightens all the saood reasons," he mumbles "But it’s not my story to tell And I don’t dislike Sara I just don’t--I don’t like thinking about her"

"Why? What’s she done to you?"