DANDELION || Nikolai Lantsov

15. DANCE PRACTISE

The twins exchanged a look and Tamar grinned at her little brother as he slowly walked over to Kheru, side-eyeing Nikolai. He hadn't told him about this and when the heartrender would ask afterwards, Nikolai had simply miscounted the guards. Right now, Tolya couldn't protest, he was on duty, and he was answering to the prince who commanded him to join them, although it was clear how nervous his friend got when he approached Kheru. 

"That leaves Miss Ceron to join me."

"Aneela, the clasp of your necklace is showing!" Brigitta called out as Aneela was about to make her way over to Nikolai with hesitant steps. Quickly, the kerch stepped behind the zemini, making her stop on the spot. "Please, let me."

Aneela couldn't deny the help and let Brigitta set her necklace back into place. The blonde shielded herself away from Nikolai's gaze behind Aneela while she arranged the golden chain around her opponent's neck.

For a second, Nikolai feared she would try to strangle her with it. He could tell that Brigitta was whispering something into Aneela's ear, but he couldn't understand what she was saying. Telling by the zemini's expressions, it wasn't something good.

First, her eyes darted over to him, then she quickly looked away. Then, she started to breath a bit shallower and wasn't able to focus on anything in the room as a slight uneasiness came over her. At last, she swallowed hard and thanked the kerch for the help as Brigitta stepped away from her who gave her an overplayed friendly nod.

What on earth did she say to her? She looks scared to death.

The young woman gave Nikolai a bright smile, as if nothing of what he just had seen had occurred, before she returned to her dance partner. This one is turning out to be a problem as well.

Nikolai held his hand out to very startled Aneela. "Everything alright?"

She grabbed it and let him lead her over to the dancefloor, taking the last empty spot in the formation. "She was just making sure that I look presentable. Master Bellatrant would disgrace me if he would have seen that I wanted to attend the dance floor with a wonky necklace."

Another diplomatic answer. Master Bellatrant wildly gestured over to the orchestra whose conductor turned around to the musicians and raised his baton.

"If she said something unsettling to you-"

"Nothing she hasn't said to me before." She put a confident smile on, appearing perfect on the outside. But was she able to shake this off internally as well? "She just told me to watch myself ... the competition is getting fiercer by the day and she feels threatened, that's all."

Nikolai watched her closely as they aligned to start the dance. She may look like a fragile flower, but her stem is made of steel.

Aneela quickly opened her mouth to change the topic before he could ask her if she really was alright. "Are you really going to do this with Kheru and Tolya?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, Miss Ceron."

She obviously didn't buy it; she was way too clever for it. "You do."

Nikolai shrugged with a smile. "It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

"If anybody asks, I had nothing to do with it." The zemini commented, shaking her head but grinned. "Kheru will have my head if she finds out that we are conspiring against and for her."

"Oh no, you're fully intervened into the treason we're currently committing." Nikolai said as the music started to play.

They made their first step to the first beat. "You mean you are committing – I am merely a supportive friend that would lose it if their friend was to find love, I am not involved in how that happens."