Page 74 of An Arcane Education
“Yeah, sorry. Just taking it all in.”
“Well, take it in from the dance floor,” Callista says, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the growing crowd.
Within minutes, all five of us are dancing together, laughing and spinning and not caring who's watching. Well, except for me thinking about Alaric. His gaze weighs down on me the entire time, and I love it.
Familiar faces pass by as we dance. AJ waves when he catches my eye, and when I see Joanna on his arm, I grin and give him a thumbs-up.
I’ve lost track of how many songs we’ve danced to when I finally decide I need a break. As I exit the dance floor and head for the refreshment table again, I glance at Alaric, who hasn’t moved. He smiles at me again and tilts his head toward the side door, indicating for me to follow him. I nod just enough to signal to him that I understand,then watch as he disappears through the doorway. One minute later, I walk through as well.
The doorway opens into a wide hallway, and I walk deeper into the building to the next intersection of walkways. It’s much cooler in the halls, and quieter too. The tapping of my heels echoes against the floors, and the music from the main room is muffled by the thick stone walls.
Alaric waits for me around the first corner, sweeping me into his arms as soon as I reach him. The arched window a few feet away casts pale moonlight onto the floor, illuminating it just enough for us to see.
“Dance with me?” he murmurs.
I reach to wrap my arms around his neck. “Of course.”
We move together in the darkness, swaying to the slow rhythm reverberating through the walls. The nervous energy that’s been fluttering in my stomach all day dulls as I relax into his warm body pressed against mine. Right now, nothing else exists besides the two of us.
“I want to apologize,” Alaric says, pulling his head back slightly to look down at me. His features look even sharper in the shadows cast by the moonlight.
“For what?”
“I haven’t been giving you the attention you deserve lately. I have a bad habit of becoming consumed by my work.”
“You’ve been busy,” I say. “It’s okay if you forget me every once in a while for more important things.”
Alaric places a finger beneath my chin to lift my face toward his. “Nothing is more important than you. And Icould never forget you, Vivian. You’ve brought light into my life that I hadn’t even realized was missing.”
I smile up at him. “I feel the same way.”
He holds my gaze for a long time, and the depth of emotion in his eyes assures me that he’s telling the truth. With his hands on my waist, the quiet secrecy of our dancing, and the way he’s looking at me as if he’s never wanted anything more, the moment is so intimate that I forget how to breathe.
Minutes later, he spins me out into the center of the hallway, the moonlight pooling on the floor like a spotlight.
“You are radiant,” Alaric breathes, taking a step back to fully observe me.
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
He shakes his head with a gentle smile, as if in disbelief. “For all the time we spend together, it still never feels like enough.”
Nodding in agreement, I move to take his hand and dance with him one last time for the night. “I know. But maybe after this semester, things will be a little easier. How much longer should your research take?”
“It’s impossible to know.”
“Will you ever tell me what you're working on?” I ask in a playful tone, but we both know the question is serious.
“One day,” he promises. “I promise. One day, I'll tell you everything.”
“I'll hold you to that.”
He smiles and leans down to press his forehead against mine. “Good.”
We dance until the song ends, both of us reluctant to pull away.
“You should get back,” Alaric says, though he doesn't sound any more enthusiastic about the idea than I feel.
“So should you. I’m sure having the notorious Dr. Vale chaperoning helps with keeping students in line,” I tease.
