Page 92 of A Dance Macabre

“Gem … Iwillmaim you,” I say through clenched teeth. “Speak plainly.”

His eyes twinkle. “I’m too pretty to maim, love.” My hand reaches for my dagger, and Gemini barks a laugh, sitting back up straight and holding out his palms as a sign of surrender. “Fine, fine.” He taps the couch beside him. “Sit, you’re making me nervous.”

My shoulders fall in defeat, and I do as he says.

As I sit, a muffled sound coming from the hallway behind me catches my attention. Turning around, I see nothing but Gemini’s eclectic decor, his walls full of mismatched frames and trinkets.

“What was that sound?” I ask quizzically.

Gemini gives me a bewildered look. “Sound? Must be the wind,” he mumbles as he jumps to his feet. “Let’s put on some music, shall we? Something to offset your glum mood.” He flashes me a grin from over his shoulders, shimmying his hips as he puts on a record and delicately places the needle on top of it.

When the music begins to fill the room, he lets out a satisfied sigh. “There, much better.”

Sitting back down, his attention is again back on me, and I shrink in my seat.

He picks up the conversation right where we left off.

“What Wolfgang needs from you is sincerity,” he says much too seriously.

“I’ve been sincere,” I snap back.

Gemini gives me a quick eye roll. “If you’re going to rebuke any advice I give you, love, then I'd rather save my breath.”

My heart sinks. Is this a feeling of regret again?

“Please,” I press, taking his hand in mine.

Gemini pauses and looks down at our joined hands as if he’s never seen me purposely make physical contact before. When his gaze slides back up, his smile is smug. “Wolfie sure did a number on you.”

I shove his hand away and cross my arms in protest but say nothing.

Gemini’s laughter slowly wanes into silence, his expression turning thoughtful.

“I could tell you the same thing six million ways, love — but the meaning will always stay the same.” He pins me with his stare. “Your apology needs to come from the heart.”

Marching through the enfilade,shoulders straight, head held high, I head for the library where I know I’ll find Wolfgang. I left Gemini’s house with the conviction that this apology needed to happen now, or I would lose the courage to follow through.

I burst through the door. Wolfgang sits near the crackling fireplace, a book on his lap, and Truffles curled up at his feet. He seems surprised but says nothing as I stomp up to his chair.

“You would have done it if I didn’t do it first, I just know it,” I blurt out. “If anyone could understand the motivations behind my actions, it’s you.” I start to pace. “Isn’t it good enough for you to know that Iregretwhat I did?” I furtively sneak a peek at Wolfgang. The corners of his lips are curling up in amusement as he slowly takes his reading glasses off and closes the book on his lap but seems in no hurry to interrupt. “If our gods could turn back time, I would beseech for them to do just that. I was possessed, Wolfgang. Possessed!”

I fall silent. Turn my entire body toward Wolfgang. Try to control my heavy breathing and pumping heart.

I seek reassurance in his steely gaze but find nothing but levity.

He lets my speech fill every crack in the library before speaking, his grin growing wider. “Was that an attempt at an apology, Crèvecoeur?”

I feel struck. “It — itwasan apology,” I stutter out.

He tries to hide a chuckle behind the hand holding his glasses. His gaze slides up the length of my body, gradually turning serious. “Try again, my ruin.”

The sound that comes out of my mouth can most likely be defined as a shriek, I can’t tell—I’ve never acted this way before.

But I do the only thing that feels appropriate—and stomp right out of the library.

49

WOLFGANG

---