But they do not hesitate when the women pull them onto the floor.
Amber appears before me, wearing a purple weave around her body. “Care to dance?”
“I am only meant to dance with one,” I tell her, my eyes trained on Asha.
She huffs, walking away.
“Squeak!”
“Yes, Harold. It is time.”
I walk toward the longhouse, where Asha is standing with several others.
Argen extends his hand to her, and I see her cheeks flush with color.
Rage fills me, and I quickly close the distance between us.
As Asha’s hand reaches out to accept his, I intercept, putting my body between hers and his.
Argen growls and I pivot to glare at him. “She is?—”
“Harold?” Asha gasps.
“Squeak!”
I turn back around to face the Penticari.
“Harold—what are you doing on his shoulder—wearing clothes?” Her face is twisted in fury.
“I needed to make sure he was dressed proper for the celebration?—”
“You stole Harold?”
“One cannot steal Harold,” I scoff. “We are rooming together, and?—”
“Harold—how could you?” Her face is pinched with the sting of betrayal.
I hear murmuring and see that people are gathered around us, some looking amused, others worried.
“Excuse me!” comes the harsh snappy sound of Elena’s voice as she pushes through the tribe to our side. Grixis is right behind her.
Smiling excitedly, she blurts, “Go on!”
“Elena?” Grixis says in a confused tone.
Asha points an emphatic finger at me. “He stole Harold!”
Grixis booms out a laugh along with the other Tempest men, who have just now seen the tiny vaeyark.
Elena glares at Grixis, then returns her gaze to me. “Go on…”
I clear my throat and look around at the gathered people. “I have words meant for Asha, but you may all listen in.”
“Ramsey?” Asha whispers.
“Most of you know me as Ramsey, the strong, brave, and fearless hunter. But what you might not know is that I am also weak.”
Gasps and chuckles rise from those gathers, which would have made me furious many moons ago, but my pride is not so prickly now.
