How the Mighty Fall

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Astraea was overwhelmed by the number of people mingling in the foyer as soon as they stepped up to the entrance. She stopped at the threshold and her heels clacked together.

"Hey," Phrixus glanced over his shoulder, "we're kind of blocking the path here. You're not secretly a vampire or something, are you?"

She bit back a scoff and tried to smooth out the sneer screwing her face, yet didn't move until one of his hands lightly touched her waist and she jumped forward.

His chuckle replayed in her head as she bee-lined for the corner with the fewest people. Part of her hoped he wouldn't follow.

But after greeting a few colleagues, he sauntered over. His hands rested in the pockets of his slacks. "We made it. How long do you think you can last?"

"Give me a few minutes, and I'll be fine for the night. I guess I wasn't as prepared as I thought," she muttered. Her fingers twitched as she resisted balling up the skirt of her dress in her fists.

He nodded, casting his eyes around the room. "There are a few more people I should touch base with. I had a small list of those I want to introduce you to, but it can wait. I'll check in with you until you're ready."

She blinked a couple times as he walked away. When he put his hand on the shoulder of a man sporting a dark red suit, a cough pulled her from the scene that was unfolding. "Excuse me."

"Hello," she acknowledged, tucking her twitching hand behind her. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"You're right, I should have introduced myself." He extended a hand. "Andrew."

She returned the gesture without supplying her own name. "Pleasure."

His eyes lingered after the exchange. "Would you like a drink? I was about to get one."

"Thank you for offering, Andrew, but I was looking for someone. Excuse me." Ignoring the way her hand felt clammy, she gathered a couple inches of her dress, stepped around him and stalked off in the direction she had last seen Phrixus.

When she found him a minute later in a tight circle of men, she bit her bottom lip. He was holding a drink and matching his laughter to theirs. Some people were equipped with intuition stronger than his blending abilities, though she wasn't one of them as much as she was familiar with his mannerisms.

While Astraea wasn't fond of the idea of standing outside of the group, she had no desire to be included. Anything was better than suffering through small talk with Andrew or someone like him. Without making Phrixus aware of her presence, she pressed her back to his and looked into the crowd. There wasn't much to spectate from a distance, but she did try to tune in to some of the scattered conversations. It would be a plus if she could unlock acute hearing as she fulfilled her part of their deal.

Out of the corner of her eye, Phrixus switched his cup from one hand to the other, and while he raised it to his lips, she felt his freed fingers entwine with hers. A blush blossomed across her face, justifying her changing focus to blankly observing the decor she found no interest in.

A set of thick velvet curtains were drawn back on a raised platform carved into the back wall of the room, revealing an orchestra as the musicians manipulated their instruments into projecting the opening notes. Astraea's eyes widened as the people in front of her started to spread themselves out from the middle of the room toward the walls, creating a dance floor.

As if reading her mind, which would have set off every alarm in her head, Phrixus adjusted his hold on her hand before he spun her into his chest. The cup he had was gone. "I don't know what your dance experience consists of, but I promise this won't be embarrassing."