30. Chapter 30

Jayna grabbed Sid's hand and pulled him away from the fountain. She marveled at the magnificent splendor surrounding them as they entered the Grand Manutai Ballroom, and her heart raced at the thought of finding out just how capable of a dancer Sid really was.

Kalani's band Mano Taika was on stage, playing a lively song with island rhythms. Jayna led Sid to a spot on the dance floor. She loved dancing but struggled to find a willing partner, let alone one skilled enough to match her ability. Sid was both, it turned out.

Soon the incredible weight of her gown was forgotten as Sid led her expertly around the dance floor. Jayna figured she could forgive a lot in a man if frequent dancing was involved.

The next song was slow and sensuous, and heat rose in her chest as Sid took her in his arms. But as the dance progressed, his attention began to wander. Jayna's first instinct was to be jealous of the many beautiful women in the room, but it was soon clear he wasn't looking at anyone else. He seemed to be looking for someone.

She remembered what Sid had told her about his reputation. Was he worried about the secret society spies he had mentioned? She decided to call him on it. "Who are you looking for? The reputation police?"

His attention snapped back to her, and his cheeks reddened in embarrassment. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get distracted."

Jayna leveled her gaze at him. "I get it. There are a lot of worthy distractions here tonight. But you didn't answer my question."

Sid pursed his lips and nodded.

Jayna had to fight not to roll her eyes. "Do you really think the Order has spies here with nothing better to do than judge your every move?"

Sid's jaw clenched, but after a moment he let out a breath. "To be honest, yes."

This time the eye roll won. "Seriously? This room is full of interesting people. What makes you think anyone here has even noticed us?"

Sid didn't answer, and Jayna's frustration grew. It was going to be a long night if he spent the whole evening looking over his shoulder. When the song ended, she led him out of the ballroom, back to the enormous fountain in the courtyard. She pressed her mouth close to his ear.

"I know you're trying to make a difference, but are you sure you want to be part of a secret club that lurks at balls and spies on prospective members to make sure they are behaving themselves?"

Sid pulled away, and she immediately felt the loss of his nearness. She worried her snarky question had upset him, but he gave her a half smile and ran a hand down her arm. "Absolutely."

This was not the answer Jayna had been hoping for. Was his membership in the Order more important to him than their relationship? If so, where did that leave her?

It left her in a position of constantly watching herself, wondering and worrying if she was making a decision or acting in a way this group would disapprove.

She clenched her fists. As much as she admired Sid, she couldn't live her life walking on eggshells, always worried her actions might cost him the Order's approval.

If he would choose the Cerulean Order over her, she'd rather find out now than later.

As Mano Taika neared the end of their current number, Jayna had an idea of how she could test Sid's commitment. It was a jerk move, and she knew it. But she needed to understand where she stood with him.

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him so close, her lips brushed his ear. "Did you really mean what you said about having a good time dancing tonight?"

He narrowed his eyes warily, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I did."

Excitement surged through her as she grabbed his hand. "Then let's get started. We're going to dance like you've never danced before."

They entered the ballroom just as the band finished its number, and Jayna willed Kalani to look at her.

As he glanced around the room and acknowledged the audience, his eyes stopped on Jayna, and he smiled.

She raised her hand and made a gesture she had learned as a singer in Mano Taika.

His eyes widened in surprise.

Jayna put her hands together in a pleading motion. Kalani gave her a huge grin and nodded.

"What was that all about?" Sid asked.

"I intend to find out if you're as good of a swing dancer as Emmaline says you are."

His brow furrowed. "I'm not sure this is the right place to show off my dancing."

She gazed up at him through her lashes. "This is a ball. It's exactly the right place for you to show off your dancing."

A thunderous drumming echoed through the ballroom.

Sid hesitated.

"You did say you wanted to have fun dancing tonight."

After a moment he smiled, shook his head, and began dancing with all the skill and expertise she had hoped he would. He led her through a series of increasingly elaborate steps, feeding off her energy. As he spun her out and back, she noticed the other dancers in the room had stopped and a small crowd had gathered around them.

But if Sid noticed they were the center of attention, it didn't slow him down. As the music continued, his dancing grew more and more enthusiastic. Jayna spun and flipped and twirled, and Sid showed he was more than just a pretty face in a tuxedo.

After one particularly vigorous twirl, Jayna's hair slipped out of its restraints. She felt something give in the left side seam of her dress but kept dancing. She had no intention of stopping unless her dress completely separated from her body. And even then, the cooling u-suit underneath provided her enough coverage that she'd probably finish the dance anyway.

As the song neared its end, Jayna said, "If you have a big finish up your sleeve, now is the time."

He smiled at her, and the gleam in his eye made her heart flip. "When I tell you, jump."

"What?"

"Just jump," he said. "Ready…Go!"

As the drums thundered out their final rhythm, Jayna kicked off the ground. The strength she had glimpsed when he was a merman came into full play as Sid lifted her above his head, despite the incredible weight of her dress. She found herself flying above the dance floor, and it took every ounce of trust she could find to let him spin her, turn her upside down, and flip her around just in time to land gracefully on her feet.

The crowd broke into applause, and Sid graciously raised his hand with hers and led her in taking a bow. His face was flushed, and Jayna couldn't tell if that was from exertion or embarrassment at all the attention.

She hoped the Cerulean Order spies had enjoyed the show. Any group that would object to a dance like that was thoroughly undeserving of Sid.

As the next song began, Jayna felt her dress shift and realized if she didn't take care of it soon, something truly undignified was going to happen.

She gently pulled Sid down so his ear was next to her lips. "I'll be back in a minute. There's a wardrobe malfunction in progress, and I'd rather not draw that kind of attention."

Sid nodded his agreement. "Your hair looks like it could use some help too. Would you like me to call Emmaline?" He tucked a loose strand behind her ear, and the thrill she felt at this simple touch was almost as powerful as their adrenaline-filled dance.

"No, I've got it." She gave his hand a squeeze and went to leave.

Instead of releasing his grasp, he pulled her back to him and gave her a quick kiss. "Meet me out by the fountain when you're done."

Her skin buzzed where Sid's lips had touched hers, and it nearly killed her to leave him behind. She walked across the ballroom as quickly as she dared with her right hand holding the dress together at the side.

Once she finally made it to the restroom, she slipped inside to inspect the damage. As she feared, she had a thirty-centimeter split along the left seam. At first, she wondered how the dress hadn't completely come apart. But on closer inspection, she realized Lena had wisely reinforced the seam with an elastic panel that acted as a failsafe.

"Oh dear. That looks bad."

Jayna turned to find a gray-haired woman in a Grand Manutai service uniform standing in front of what appeared to be a fitting room. "Come in here, and we'll get you patched up."

The woman, whose nametag identified her as Madison, closed the door once Jayna was inside.

"Do you need me to take off the dress?" Jayna asked, though she wasn't sure exactly how she would manage fifteen kilograms of fabric and beads by herself.

Madison lifted Jayna's arm and pursed her lips. "No, I can patch you up. But you'll need to take it easy the rest of the night. No more ‘Magnatron Slams' or whatever dance you kids are doing these days."

Jayna let out a laugh. "It was the Lindy Hop, actually."

Madison raised an eyebrow as she expertly stitched the torn seam. "In a dress like this? You're lucky you didn't have a catastrophic separation and flash the entire gala." She tied off the end of her thread and leaned back to admire her work. "There. That should hold, as long as you don't do anything more energetic than a waltz."

Jayna fought back a wave of disappointment. It seemed so unfair that just when she'd gotten Sid to let loose and reveal his amazing dancing skills, she had to dial things back down again because of her dress.

But her relationship with Sid was just getting started. There would be many more opportunities for dancing in the future, and next time she would make sure and wear a dress that could handle anything she threw at it. Who knew what other talents Sid was hiding beneath his reserved exterior?

Jayna thanked Madison and moved to the bank of mirrors so she could repair her hair. As she worked to get the thin silver chain hanging from the tiara to drape gracefully across the back of her head again, the restroom door opened. A woman who had obviously spent a little too much time at the open bar staggered in, giggling and swaying.

The woman's gaze locked on Jayna, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, it's you!" The woman stumbled over to Jayna and wrapped her in a hug. She reeked of alcohol.

Jayna's years of experience dealing with the unpredictable public kicked in. She gently but firmly pushed the woman away and squared her shoulders, preparing to defend herself if needed. "You have me confused with someone else."

The woman pointed at Jayna and slurred, "No. I know who you are. You're Rosalind Aria." Before Jayna could correct her, the woman's brow furrowed. "No, wait. I'm Rosalind Aria. You're Jayna Cooper. You're Sid's mermaid. I told her you two were a match. And I was right." Rosalind tried to wink but ended up closing both eyes instead.

It occurred to Jayna that most people called Obsidian by his full name, but this woman had called him Sid. She was clearly someone who knew him personally. Was she one of those mysterious Cerulean Order people who had him so concerned for his reputation? Jayna certainly hoped not.

She folded her arms. "How exactly do you know Sid?"

"Oh, he's one of my best customers." Rosalind leaned close and said in a loud whisper, "My 'gators are doing a lot of work for him these days."

Jayna heard the words, but they didn't make any sense. "Your alligators?"

Rosalind howled with laughter. "Not alligators. Aggregators. My data 'gators crawled all through the Myst looking for Sid's perfect match. They found you. You"re the one! He bought that whole mermaid park just so he could have you."