Page 130 of Hollow Court
“Of course not,” I assured her, and her shoulders relaxed slightly. I pointed to a long lane with nine pins set up at the end, picking up a heavy wooden ball to show her. “This isSkittles. It reminded me a bit ofGorodki—”
A laugh escaped her, the sound almost lyrical. “So, it was yourself you were trying to embarrass, then?”
I rolled my eyes, thinking back to the times we had played the game in Socair and how very few wins I had sustained. My losses had begun unintentionally, but the longer we played, the more I just liked to see her having to bite back a laugh in front of all the courtiers.
“Something like that,” I said, handing her the ball. “Besides, I may not be as competitive as Gwyn is, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to play to our strengths. We’ll ease you into the other ones,” I added, watching her expression.
Sure enough, a dusty pink blush rose to her tan cheeks, her gaze turning thoughtful.
She didn’t hate the idea of being here with me next year. That much was certain.
When the gamemaster announced that it was our turn, she stepped up to the lane, watching the team next to us and studying the technique they used before taking her place. She lined up just so before rolling her ball toward the pins, knocking over four on her first try.
Then it was my turn, whereupon I only took down one pin on the very end. Which, of course, made her laugh again.
“Which games do you usually play?” she asked, lining up for her next turn. “Perhaps we should play to your strengths instead.”
A visceral memory washed over me.
Rowan, Mac, and me, sprawled out in the mud. Rope burns on our hands from where we tried and failed to beat the twins and Avani in a game of tug of war.
Gwyn raising her arms and shouting victoriously.
Avani’s laughter ringing out freely as Mac pulled her into the mud next to him, smearing it on her face before he kissed her.
Rowan pretending to gag at the sight of their affection. Gallagher and I slinging mud at his sister.
Everyone happy and alive and here…
Galina’s fingers laced through mine, her delicate touch pulling me from the memory. I shook my head as she searched my eyes. For the first time in a long time, thinking of those days didn’t hurt quite as much.
“A little bit of everything, really,” I told her truthfully.
She accepted my answer with a hesitant nod before launching her next ball down the lane and knocking down the rest of the pins. The grin she shot my way was mischievous and wider than usual. I suspected she knew where my mind had gone.
We played two more rounds before our team was announced as the winner. The gamemaster handed her a small pin engraved with the date as a trophy. She held it up proudly, her expression adorably smug.
“Only the best for the future Lady of Lithlinglau,” I said.
She shook her head but didn’t argue.
Even though we were the only ones close enough to hear.
* * *
Lina had fun today,if the glow in her cheeks and her easy smile had been any indication.
But none of that compared to how she looked now.
She was dancing with Gwyn and Maisey, her hair coming loose from her braids and cascading over her face as she spun in time with the music.
And she was laughing.
I couldn’t look away from her bright eyes and her head thrown back, face to the autumn sky. The others were keeping up well enough, but Lina was grace in motion. She was the most captivating thing I had ever seen.
As the music went on, so did she.
The others kept up for as long as they could, dancing until their feet gave out and they fell into a pile of laughter and exhaustion. And all the while, Lina kept going, taking this dance that my people practiced all their lives and turning it into a work of art.