Page 77 of Shadows of Stardust

Roslyn

Two hours later, the bonfire is in full swing.

Drinks flowing, music playing, burning torches and strings of lights casting the contestants in a warm golden glow. In the middle of it all, a huge fire crackles. Piled high with driftwood, it keeps the festive atmosphere just a little dark and dangerous with the shadows it throws on all the dancing bodies.

Juni and I stand at one side of it, watching the crowd and speaking in low voices, keeping an eye out for the hovers that dart back and forth over everyone, capturing it all.

“They haven’t lined a date up for you and Zandrel yet?” Juni asks, sounding way more offended on my behalf than I’d ever dream to be. “What do these idiots think they’re doing?”

I stifle a laugh. “I’m sure they will.”

“They better,” she says darkly. “This is the most salacious storyline they’ve had on their hands in years, and they better not fuck it up.”

“Would that derail your plans?” I tease. “I’m not a very hot commodity or good ally if I can’t get any camera time.”

Juni preens haughtily. “I’ll have you know I’m doing just fine on my own, thank you very much. And I’m about to be doing even better.”

“Oh, really?” I ask, eyes shifting over the crowd, looking for her Jurvian and Sendahlan.

“Really. Because our triad is about to become a quad.”

My gaze cuts back to her. “With who?”

“Nelle. I think you might have, uh, met her on the ride in.”

“Ansalla’s friend?”

“Formerfriend,” Juni emphasizes. “They didn’t last past the welcome dinner when they both went after the same guy. And she’s cool. Much less… well, much less like Ansalla.”

I laugh and shake my head. “I’ll have to take your word for it.”

“Please do. I promise you’ll like her once you get to know her.”

We both look out over the crowd, and it only takes a few seconds to spot the Vas-Greshiran who’d been thick as thieves with Ansalla that first day on the transport. She’s in the middle of the crowd of dancers with Serril, arms wound around his neck and body pressed close as they sway in time with the music.

When I glance back to Juni, she’s got an expression on her face I might almost call dreamy. Eyes bright as she watches them, lips curled into an affectionate smile.

“And what do Tev and Serril think of this development?” I ask.

“Well, Serril and Nelle had a bit of a thing going on before he hooked up with me and Tev, so he’s obviously on board with it.”

“And Tev?”

Her smile turns sharper, wicked, much more like the Juni I know. “I think Tev’s afraid to admit how much he wants it. He’s never really explored that side of himself, you know? Always been a one-partner kind of guy. But things have gone so well with Serril, and I see the way he looks at Nelle…”

Both our gazes drift back to the dancefloor, just in time to watch Serril—still intertwined with Nelle in the midst of all thoseswaying bodies—beckon to someone standing just to the side of the crowd. Tev materializes a moment later, only to be engulfed in two sets of arms that pull him into a dance.

Juni laughs, the sound light and bright and filled with joy.

“Go,” I say.

Tev, Serril, and Nelle all spot her in the crowd at just about the same time. Their own grins hold a clear invitation to join them, and I nudge her gently with my shoulder.

She gives me a peck on the cheek before she dashes off. “And you should go find your Revexoran. I’m sure he’s lonely without you.”

I let out another soft laugh as she goes, cheeks aching with my smile as I watch her being embraced by her partners. For the benefit of the cameras or not, the four of them seem pretty damn happy together as they dance in the flickering light of the fire and the moonlight shining down from above.

And, maybe because their joy is infectious, or maybe because I’m aching for a little companionship, too, I search the crowd for my own supposed partner.

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