Silver Blood

Chapter 24

They headed for the dancers. Beyond the field tents dotted the forest as far as she could see. Solen's festivals couldn't compare. They were too small to get traveling vendors, so it was always the same local shops setting up stalls to sell the same thing year after year. Being here made her crave more of the novelty of something new. Made her wish for time to explore and eat her way through the food stalls. If she had Minimer's kind of money, she'd walk away with a bag full of goodies.

Asha eyed up a group of young women huddled together, all of them casting longing looks as the dancers circled each other. He set off, the women whispering when they noticed him heading their way. He stopped two steps away from them, dipping into a formal bow that earned him a smile from all of them. Then he held out his hand and the women pushed the one in the center forward. She smiled shyly as she stepped up to accept.

Lorana and Roan stayed close by as the next song started up, a fast paced folk tune that talked about two of the most beautiful women in a town tricking all the suitors their fathers demanded they marry until there were none left and they moved in together instead. As the song started, the unpartnered ladies joined together to dance, no longer caring about the lack of men.

"I don't see anyone from the temple, but he has to be somewhere nearby, right?" Lorana asked as they moved to stand side-by-side to the steps of the dance.

"If Bellon arrived before us, Kael might be keeping him away from the festival, which means he could be anywhere in the surrounding woods or towns."

"What if we try the standing stones?"

"They temple keeps the entrance guarded during the festival. No one is allowed up except for the newlyweds and engaged couples invited up for the blessing. We'd have to fight our way through his watch."

The song tempo changed, growing faster and faster until its crescendo as the singer sang about both women being free of their suitors. All at once the women playfully pushed their male dance partners away and the men backed up to the edges of the dance floor. The women all danced together, lifting their hands up and moving however they pleased. As a child this had been her favorite song. She raised her hands to the sky and spun in a circle.

She'd loved the freedom of forgetting about whether or not someone would ask her to dance to dance with her sister or friends instead. It didn't matter whether the women in the song were meant to be best friends or lovers, either way they'd found a way to be free of expectations to live the life they wanted.

"Lorana?"

She lowered her arms, finding Roisin staring at her, mouth agape. Then her sister launched herself at her, slamming into her and unbalancing both of them. The woman behind Lorana moved just in time to avoid Lorana tipping into her.

"You didn't come home or send a letter to explain your delay and I thought you'd disappeared like Corwin." Roisin squeezed her. Hard. "Father even gave me permission to come this year, and I thought you'd miss it."

"It's a long story," she said, struggling to get the words out as Roisin's hug made it impossible to get a fresh breath of air in. She wiggled out of her sister's grasp. "I was hoping to make it home after the festival."

The song ended, the women fanning back out to find their dance partners.

"Lorana?" Asha asked as he appeared at her side, his attention on Roisin.

"Oh." Roisin grinned. "And who's this?"

Asha glanced between them, taking in their hair, arched eyebrows, and noses. "Your sister?"

Lorana nodded. "Roisin, this is Asha, a...new friend."

"New friend, huh?" Roisin winked and held her hand out for Asha to take.