Dark Dance

I was in a snappish, brooding sort of mood the following day. I was convinced by then that the "princes" we danced with every night were the same warlocks I had read about in Judith's book. And if Caleb's weird behavior the last few nights was any indication, then the spell that confined the princes to their ballroom was fading. Restless, I twisted my hair into two long braids, then donned a pair of knee-high dark purple boots, black shorts, and a hot pink tank top. Then I left the castle, Cyrus on my heels. Mother and Father were away visiting another royal family, and whenever they did that, my sisters and I took the opportunity to take a break from classes.

Most of my sisters were out shopping; I had no idea where Savannah or Judith were, so I wandered the grounds, realizing somewhere in the back of my mind that I was looking for Sam. It seemed all the strange things started when he showed up.

"Hiding from your mother again?" I jumped, that velvet-warm voice catching me by surprise, like always.

"She's away today," I told him, trying to study him without making it obvious that I was staring. His shaggy black hair was still in need of a cut, and my fingers twitched with the urge to push it back off his face.

"Any plans for the day?" he asked me. I shook my head.

"Have you ever ridden a motorcycle, Princess?"

"No." The question was not what I was expecting. A slow smile crept over Sam's face, making his green eyes twinkle. "Would you like to?"

* * * *

Sam drove a shiny, crimson Bird of Prey. The metal beast was huge and sleek, and I gaped in awe at the sight of it.

"You ride this?" I said, wide-eyed. "It's beautiful."

"It's even better when you're riding it," Sam said, handing me a helmet. I settled it on my head and fastened the straps. I climbed on behind Sam, wrapping my arms around his waist shyly. Cyrus eyed the bike warily.

"Will he be able to keep up?" Sam asked, nodding his head toward the massive Caras. Cyrus flattened his ears indignantly.

"Cyrus can keep up with anything," I said with confidence. "And if not, he knows the way home."

Sam strapped on his helmet, and the bike roared to life. I gripped him a little tighter, a trace of nervousness piercing through the excitement.

"Hold on, Princess," he shouted. I gasped as the bike shot away from the castle. The ride was incredibly smooth, considering that within seconds we were going at least eighty miles an hour and counting. Cyrus raced after us. Cars slammed on their brakes and drivers shouted angrily at us. I laughed, the wind carrying my voice away. I leaned my head back to glance up at the hover trains zipping around above us like metal clouds. Sam felt warm and solid in my arms, and I decided I could get used to this. Soon we left the city streets behind, and made our way into the countryside, where the winding roads were nearly empty. The world now belonged to us; a mysterious soldier and a reckless princess.

We didn't speak during the ride; there was far too much noise; but late into the afternoon Sam finally pulled over, gesturing to a tiny restaurant nestled into a beautiful little glade, surrounded by cherry trees and blackberry bushes.

"Hungry?" Sam asked, attempting to tame his helmet hair.

"Famished." I smiled at him. We settled ourselves at a patio table, and Sam ordered blackberry lemonade and sandwiches for us. It was probably the best meal I've ever had. The owner of the restaurant brought out a plate of mixed cold cuts for Cyrus.

"If you don't mind my asking, what happened to your leg?" I asked between bites of the sandwich.

"I was in a battle in Cordell. We were fighting some of the northern giants, and they attacked us, using their catapults to launch boulders into our camp. We were prepared for that, but somehow the giants got a hold of a wizard, and he constructed balls of liquid fire that explode on impact. We tried to retreat; get out of range. Things were blowing up all over the place. One came down right beside a friend of mine. He slammed into the ground so hard I was sure he was dead. I ran back to get him anyway. Some shrapnel from another explosion buried itself in my leg. I was in the hospital for about two weeks, until they had stopped any chance of infection and decided I wouldn't lose the leg. A soldier with a limp isn't all that useful on the front, so I was given an honorable discharge, a medal for my bravery, and a healthy compensation. I've just been a wandering nomad ever since."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I took a gulp of blackberry lemonade. Smart, handsome, and brave, I thought. No wonder I couldn't get him off my mind.

"My turn; why do you always try to get out of going to your classes?" Sam questioned.

I sighed. "I don't think I was cut out to be a princess. I prefer spending my time exploring and tending to the dragons. I want to be a Rider, more than anything. Running some silly castle seems like a bore to me. Why did you come here to Leenthor?"

"I heard about the twelve princesses whose shoes apparently wear themselves out."

I flushed slightly, and hoped he didn't notice. He leaned forward. "What does happen to your shoes at night, Leila?"

I jerked. His voice was low, his gaze intense, and my name sounded like the most beautiful word in the world when he said it. I took a breath and met his eyes.

"Far be it from me to take the mystery out of it," I whispered. I almost expected him to be angry, but instead he smiled. "Fair enough." He leaned back.

"Did your friend live?" I blurted.

"Yes," Sam said, looking mildly surprised by the question. "He did. He went home."

"Why didn't you go home?"

"I didn't have a home to go back to."

* * * *

The sun had nearly set by the time that Sam, Cyrus, and I pulled back into the parking bay at the castle. Sam walked me back through the gardens, toward the kitchen entrance.

"I had a lot of fun today," I said, intentionally walking slowly to try and prolong the evening.

"I hope you won't be in trouble for having been gone so long."

"Even if I do, it was worth it." I bit my lip, embarrassed to have said that out loud.

"I hope you come with me again soon, then." He shot me a sideways glance, and I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. My feet were ten feet off the ground. We lingered outside the kitchen, neither knowing what to say, but neither one wanting to leave just yet either.

"Thank you," I finally said.

"No, Leila, thank you," he murmured. I felt my cheeks flame. It was a rare moment when Princess Leila was speechless, but this was certainly one of those moments. I bounced up on my tip-toes and planted a kiss on his cheek. He stared at me, his look one of pleasant surprise. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but just then the door flew open, making us both jump.

"Just what are you doing?" A furious Priscilla demanded. I flinched, realizing that all my sisters were crowded into the kitchen behind her.

Oh. Damn.