Pariah (The New Covenant Series) (4 page)

M
y first dance partner was
around my age and had black hair and matching eyes. His skin was tan, and his tunic was sage green, pants dark brown. He grinned at me as we were paired, revealing pearly, perfectly straight teeth.
Thank you, Lord!
I offer up, sincerely thankful that I hadn’t ended up with an older man although I wasn’t sure how I would avoid the older ones all night.

He took my hand in his and led
us to our position on the dance floor as we waited for the other couples to pair and join us. He kept hold of my hand until we were told to get into position to commence the opening waltz, even though it was not necessary for him to do so. I allowed it. It seemed to steady me and give me an extra boost of confidence that he would even want to hold my hand at all.

He led me around to face him and placed my free hand on
his shoulder, his hand on the small of my back, and clasped our other hands together, poised in homage to the beautiful waxy chandelier above us. We danced and twirled to the beautiful music, and I let myself go, thoroughly enjoying his company and this moment. My first dance. In my nervousness and awe of the entire situation, I had forgotten his name.

Throughout the evening, I rarel
y had a chance to stop dancing. There was always a partner waiting for his turn. It turned out that my line had been the longest not Aria’s.
Ha
! I was just glad to wipe that smug nasty look off of her face. Occasionally, I escaped to grab a drink of water or wine and sit for a moment to catch my breath or rest my achy feet. These high-heeled shoes were as uncomfortable as they were beautiful. I’d never worn anything but the simple leather shoes provided and they certainly had no heel.

Taking a break for a moment, attempting to hide behind
a group of people, Faric, my escort for the evening, found me. Smiling, he handed me a glass of water and said something that I couldn’t make out given our close proximity to the stage. I stood and leaned in to him, and he placed his hand on the small of my back and leaned in to me as well, smiling and said, “You look like you need a break. Have you stopped dancing at all yet?”

“I’ve grabbed a quick drink
and managed to sit a couple of times.” I sighed. “I am exhausted. These shoes are horrendous!”

“Heels do wonders for a woman’s legs though,” he s
aid, raising one eyebrow and smiling with is beautiful teal eyes. Too tired to banter, I just smiled back and tried to enjoy my moment of rest.

I had danced for hours. The oth
er lines were completely empty, but the other girls—potential and non—seemed to always have a partner when they chose to dance. Rachel bounced and beamed as she twirled gracefully around the dance floor. Lil was dancing with a scruffy man of around forty-five and didn’t look thrilled at all, although I could tell she was trying hard to smile and remain polite as he spoke to her. She was so sweet. I’d had to dance with a few older men and was polite but offered up silent prayers the entire time that I wouldn’t have to marry one of them.
Gross
. I’m seventeen. Seventeen and forty don’t match.

Faric leaned over again. I
felt his warm breath on my ear, and a tingle shot through my spine. “Has anyone given you any problems?” His eyebrows raise and knit toward one another as he awaited my answer.

I couldn’t help but smile. “Are you ever off duty?”

“Yes, but I am only half off-duty tonight,” he smiled, continuing to people watch.

“Half? I thought you were gua
rding us. Am I guard free right now? I might take advantage of my newfound freedom.” He moved his hand on my back and leaned in further. His breath smelled of fresh mint.

“You are definitely not with
out guard. The council wouldn’t allow it. But as I am eligible this year, I am also here to observe the available women to see if anyone piques my interest.” He glanced and me and smiled. His teal eyes sparkled in the candlelight before they moved on to observe the others gathered around us.
Hmmm. That is interesting
.

“Well, see anything you like?”
I teased.

He tucked a stray curl be
hind my ear and placed his hand on my lower back again, leaned in, and softly said, “Definitely,” holding my gaze until we were interrupted. I blinked rapidly, trying to regain my composure.

A stocky older woman wi
th red hair and matching simple linen dress grabbed my arm above my elbow and jerked me away from Faric. “Ya have menfolk awaitin’ for ya! This ain’t the time to take breaks.” She practically launched me forward into the arms of yet another man, and once I regained my footing, we began to twirl and talk. An hour later, people began to filter out, at least the non-potentials did. They were able. Melodic music still floated through the air, and the smell of sweat and jasmine mingled within the beautiful light cast by the candles whose wax fell in ivory stalactites in defiance of gravity itself.

There were only two m
en left in my line. I obliged a gentleman, thirty years old, who wasn’t particularly handsome but was somewhat gently rugged. A blacksmith’s apprentice in the village, his hands were warm but rough and calloused. His crow’s feet only added to his orneriness. He laughed at his own stories, genuinely thinking them hilarious, which made me laugh too. His wild tales squeezed tears from my eyes on occasion, and made me blush too many times to count. His had been the most enjoyable dance of the evening, certainly the most entertaining. Garrick had lost his wife four years ago to illness and had a five year-old son who was staying with neighbors tonight so that he could attend.

He would have applied for marriage sooner, havi
ng been eligible immediately after her passing, but he truly loved her and needed time to mourn. He was candid in stating that though he was ready to get married and resume his life and grant his son normalcy, though he would always love and remember his first wife—his first love. I marveled at his honesty and the love he still held for her years after she passed away. If only I could be blessed with such a genuine love.

As the song ended, Garrick led me to the last gentleman in
line. My hand clenched his, reluctant to let go as we drew near. The stranger was tall, maybe six feet five, and broad shouldered.

His dark brown hair grazed his
shoulder, but that wasn’t what unsettled me. His eyes were so strange—beady, gray and cold. Garrick winked at me and placed my hand in this stranger’s, causing my body to shudder in protest. The large form of his frame loomed over me as his icy hand completely enveloped my own
. Is he glowering at me? What is his problem?

For half of the song, he said nothing at all, just star
ed at me, making my eyes search for someone, anything to cling to in order to distract me from the empty voids boring holes into me. Then he slowed our pace, contradicting the rhythm and pulled me closer to him, away from the other couples and over to the darkest corner of the room away from everyone else. He continued to lead me in a slow, almost-sensual rhythm as he snaked his hand up and down my back. I wanted to run but decided instead to look for Faric. Maybe I could grab his attention. Where was my guard when I needed him?
Oh, he’s with Aria. I’m in trouble.

Finally, the stranger broke th
e awkward silence, bending down toward my ear and softly said, “I’ve been watching you all night. I waited all of this time to get you alone, Solara. And I am not disappointed. You are exquisite.”

“Thank you. What is your na
me?” I said, bending back in an effort to place some amount space between us.

“Altair,” he said as he pulled me even closer and continued
ignoring the music, moving me as he wished. I searched for Faric at every opportunity as we danced in dark seclusion. Faric was seated. Aria stood next to him with her hand on his shoulder, bending forward no doubt giving him an eyeful of her ample bosom.
I hate her. So much!
I searched in vain for the other guards and found them drinking and laughing together at the bar.
So much for getting their attention.
Wes was still busy with the band, making the beautiful melody that this creep refused to follow. Lil was dancing on the other end of the floor, and I didn’t see Rachel anywhere.
Looks like I’ll have to rescue myself from this slimy man.

“Well, it was really nice to meet
you, Altair, but it looks like the evening is winding down, and I should probably meet with the others to see about returning to our rooms,” I said, turning from him and starting toward Faric, my non-guard guard.
Ouch!

He grabbed me tightly around
my stomach, pushing the air out of my lungs. I felt his steamy breath on my neck, and his cold fingers pushed my curls over my right shoulder, draping them over my breast. I stopped breathing altogether as he traced his finger along the top of my dress in the back. “I have waited
patiently
all night for our time together, Solara. I’m not finished with you yet. You are not
permitted
to leave,” he hissed.

“I wasn’t aware that your perm
ission was required,” I snapped back, trying to turn around to face him. I had to show him that I wasn’t afraid of him and wasn’t going to put up with him putting his icy hands on me anymore. All of the men that I had danced with tonight had been respectful. None had tried to manhandle me until now, and this creep was putting his nasty paws all over me and barking orders at me as if he owned me. I would show him that I was certainly not his property now, nor would I ever be.

He loosened his grip around my stomach, grabbed my wrist,
and spun me around to face him. Grabbing my other wrist, he jerked me to a stop in front of him. “Let me go, Altair!” I exclaimed, hoping someone would hear. This apparently incensed him because he squeezed my wrists tighter and leaned toward me until his lips almost brushed mine. It was then that I could smell the liquor on his breath and tried to recoil. He grabbed my neck, winding my hair in his fingers and yanking my face up to meet him. His other hand pushed hard against my lower back. He started walking me backward. I felt the cold stone behind me. I was literally backed into a corner.

He roughly tilted my head back,
pulling my hair tight with his fingers. I released a whimper and winced. He glared down at me with those cool, intense eyes and brushed his lips across my cheek and back, pausing just short of my lips again. I tensed, my back arched, held in an awkward position by my captor. “Solara,” he whispered, having moved his mouth to my ear, “Do not defy me, or my first order of business as your husband will be to punish you severely.”

“What makes you think you
will be granted my hand out of all of the other gentlemen here tonight?” I said, clenching my teeth. I really wanted to spit in his face and run, but my knees were shaking so badly I knew they wouldn’t carry me away from him even if I was able break free.

He laughed deeply, pulled m
e back from the wall, and again started to sway our bodies to his imaginary sensual rhythm.

His body pressed harder again
st mine. He dominated our every movement. My hair literally hurt from his grasp. “My father is on the council. He has the power to grant me any woman I choose. I choose
you
, Solara.” I swallowed my heart as it attempted to fly out of my throat.

Suddenly, a strong hand appeared on the bicep of the arm
that held my hair against its will and mine. “Let. Her. Go. Now,” spat a familiar voice.
Finally. Finally someone decided to check on the one he’s supposed to be protecting.
Slowly, Altair’s fingers loosened their grip from my hair and from around my back. He extended his hands in surrender and slowly backed away from me, having assessed his competition and been found wanting. His sharp gaze fixed itself on mine as he backed away and turned to flee. When he was far enough to regain his confidence, he yelled back to me, “Remember not to do anything
you
will regret on
our
wedding night, Solara. Punishment can be brutal.”

I started breathing rapidly as h
e stalked away from me and then exited the building via the door farthest from us. Most of the others had left. Rachel and Lil were at the bar, getting a drink of water, their guards drinking an amber libation next to them. They laughed and giggled, and their hand gestures indicated that they were completely unaware of the ordeal that I had just suffered through.