Chapter Nineteen

Gwyneth moved gracefully around Kiran. His hand rested on her waist while she kept her hand on his shoulder. Kiran was teaching her various dances, and although she wasn’t terrible, she clearly needed more practice before her performance would be considered acceptable. Kiran praised her and tried to boost her confidence, but she wasn’t entirely convinced. She appreciated his encouragement, but she could also sense that he was being less than entirely truthful. Nevertheless, she was genuinely enjoying herself, relishing the opportunity to learn new things.

However, during one of their dance moves, she missed a step and groaned in frustration as her hand slipped from Kiran’s shoulder. “I’m useless,” she lamented.

Kiran chuckled. “It was just one step.”

Gwyneth groaned again. “It’s the same step every time!”

“You’re overthinking it,” he advised.

“The party is tomorrow, and I still can’t get this stupid dance right!”

“Maybe don’t call it stupid,” he teased, earning a smile from her.

“I should be able to move my feet, shouldn’t I?”

“You can move your feet. Your coordination is excellent. I’ve seen you during your training.”

“Yes, but somehow I lose all sense of my limbs when we dance!”

Gwyneth walked over to a nearby column and leaned against it, letting out a deep sigh. Kiran followed, getting closer and placing his hand on the column as he leaned in toward her.

“You’re doing fine,” he reassured her. “You’re being too critical.”

“Maybe I just don’t want to give everyone a reason to judge their new queen.”

“Oh, so she does accept her title now?” he teased.

“Maybe a little. I might as well get used to my new life here, right?”

“I would very much like that. But do you?” Kiran asked.

Gwyneth sighed and reached out, tugging lightly on his dark jacket. She hadn’t definitively said that she would stay. While she hadn’t completely abandoned her search for answers, her pursuit wasn’t as intense as before.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” she responded.

“But will you stay?” he pressed.

“Isn’t this party meant to convince me to stay?” she inquired.

“You’re always evading my questions,” Kiran accused gently.

“No, I’m… I’m figuring it out.”

“What?”

“All of it. I want answers, but somehow I wish I won’t find them.”

“Why?”

“It would make everything so much easier, Kiran,” she confessed. “I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about letting my world down. I could just be here. With you. Enjoy my time, love it all, and be… me.”

“Weren’t you ‘you’ before?”

“I was a Protector. I protected. I sacrificed almost all of my own identity to be one.”

“Why did you have to give up so much?”

She smiled faintly and shrugged. “Someone has to.”

“But why did it have to be you?” he wondered, smiling a little.

She chuckled and shook her head. “Who knows?”

Kiran leaned closer and kissed her, eliciting a soft moan from her. “You can be Gwyn here. Queen Gwyn.”

“That doesn’t take the pressure away,” she said with a smile.

“You’re already learning fast, and you’re doing well. People like you,” he assured her.

“Well, I’m glad they don’t hate me.” She chuckled.

“Definitely not.”

“But it won’t be the common people attending tomorrow night, will it?” she asked, still feeling apprehensive about this party.

“No, those will be the nobles,” Kiran confirmed.

“And I’m guessing your nobles are a bit like ours?”

“Depends on how yours were.”

“Snobby. Too good for everyone else,” she explained, her voice carrying a trace of judgement.

“Some of ours are similar,” he admitted, and they both shared a laugh. “You’ll be fine.”

“You sound so certain.”

“Because I know my mate.”

“You know me that well?” she inquired, surprised.

“I wouldn’t boast,” he teased.

“Oh, you would.”

They laughed together and shared a sweet kiss before Kiran led her back to the dance floor. “Come, let’s try again.”

Returning to the beginning of the dance, they positioned themselves facing each other and then moved toward and away from one another, their bodies gracefully in sync. Kiran took her hand and waist, guiding her around the dance floor. They moved effortlessly, and this time, Gwyneth felt herself relax, not overthinking her steps. When they completed the dance without a hitch, Kiran smiled.

“See?” he said. “You were thinking too much.”

Gwyneth wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing herself closer. “I just focused on something else.”

“Oh?”

“You.”

A warm smile spread across Kiran’s face. “Always focus on me.”

“I try to.”