…Chapter 6…
Natalya was not pleased to be there. Nope, not pleased at all.
His dancing was ugly, his form was off. She wasn't enjoying herself one bit.
Not…one…little…bit.
She was watching Toris carefully, watching for any sign of his magic. She watched as his siblings cheered him on as he leapt and twirled.
Two larger men gave him a hand up onto a table where he performed a jig, his feet moving so fast that it was difficult to even see them.
His hair was currently tied back in a short tail down his back, but strands still worked themselves free to frame his angular face.
No, it was not an ethereal look.
No, her heart didn't skip a little beat at the sight.
If someone thought so, then obviously someone's been spiking the punch again.
She watched as he finished with his hands up in the air, and caught sight of a brief grimace of pain that was quickly smoothed over with his carefree smile before anyone else could notice.
This confused her.
As to why she was watching so closely as to notice it…well, she just heard that you could cast spells through facial expressions. Nothing wrong with that.
He forced his shoulders back, standing tall as he gave a bow to the audience, and nodding to his brothers, left the room.
He seemed to trust the middle child to take care of the youngest while he was gone…she'd never seen him do that before.
Curious, she slipped out of her seat and followed him, confused at his stiff walk, completely unlike his usual flowing gait.
He was going down into the bowels of the ship, and after a brief hesitation about what she might find there, she continued to follow.
What was the lad doing?
…
Toris gave a sigh of relief as came to the sanctuary he had prepared yesterday when he had free time after doing Ivan's bidding.
It might not be the cleanest place, but it'll do.
He couldn't risk having this stuff in his room. Suppose his brothers came in and saw it? He couldn't risk that happening.
He just hoped his instincts were correct that no one would look for him here.
He pulled his shirt over his head, wincing, and then heard a soft gasp.
Toris immediately whirled around, his eyes searching the darkness for the person who followed him.
It wasn't who he would've expected.
"Miss Arlovskaya?"
…
Eduard didn't know what to think about the new-found freedom Toris was giving them.
True, there was only so much someone could do on a boat as far as kidnapping was concerned, and they were under a very powerful person's protection, but he still couldn't help but wonder what was causing Toris to be more willing to leave him in charge when the eldest wasn't dancing.
The elder was alright, wasn't he?
He would tell them if he wasn't, wouldn't he?
Wouldn't he?