Unlike how nervous she was at the after-party on their first dance, this time Adeline was more relaxed and composed, allowing herself to dance more gracefully and match up to Sylvan's prowess.
The dance floor was cleared for them and the guests stood by the side watching.
As usual, the music started with a slow pace and Sylvan held Adeline's waist with one hand, while the other was intertwined with hers. But despite their faces being an inch or two apart, he didn't even look at her and danced like it's a chore while his eyes stayed blank.
On the other hand, Adeline found herself more curious this time and her gaze roamed all over his face, taking in his chiseled features and making him slightly uncomfortable, which she noticed when his jaw tightened.
"You're not much of a talker, are you?", questioned Adeline, trying to start a conversation but to her dismay, Sylvan didn't even glance at her and continued dancing like he didn't hear anything.
With a lopsided smile, Adeline's eyes lowered a little and she decided to focus her attention on something else – anything other than Sylvan.
She looked around the room, noticing some guests whispering to one another in low voices, while others kept staring at herself and Sylvan. Others were getting their plates filled and among them she noticed Nora standing by herself, munching on something sweet which made her eyes sparkle. When she caught Adeline staring at her, she looked surprised and her eyes widened for a moment, then she smiled widely and Adeline smiled back in amusement.
Her gaze roaming again, she looked up and saw King Roderick standing at the balcony that overlooked the ballroom, his eyebrows furrowed and a serious expression on his face as he listened to what a woman in a green dress… Katherine?
What was Katherine talking about with the King looking so serious? Adeline wondered, and then she remembered the painting she came across in the royal wing and her curiosity intensified.
"What is Katherine's relationship with your family?" She asked in a low voice, her gaze still locked onto Katherine and Roderick.
Hearing her question, Sylvan turned his face to look at her and sensing his movement, Adeline pulled back to look into his eyes.
His gaze was deep and piercing, as if trying to see the thoughts behind the question but Adeline didn't back down and held his gaze unblinkingly.
"Why?" He asked back, his lips barely moving.
Though simple, the question sounded intimidating coming from him and Adeline didn't know why. His voice was deep and magnetic… almost compelling, and his dark eyes were cold and emotionless.
"I'm just curious." Adeline cursed in her mind, wishing her voice had come out a little stronger but it was barely above a whisper.
Sylvan observed her for a moment, his eyes narrowing with suspicion, then returning to their usual stolidness before he averted his gaze from her.
"She's a servant," he deadpanned in a flat tone and Adeline pursed her lips, not getting the answer she wanted. There was no way Katherine was just a servant. But seeing how indifferent Sylvan was, she decided to drop the subject and ask Katherine herself once she gets the chance.
"Ahem… won't we give the guests the wrong impression if we keep dancing like we can barely stand each other?" She asked cautiously, not daring to look into Sylvan's eyes.
"It's understandable. We're strangers after all," he simply responded and Adeline bit the inner side of her cheek to suppress the retort that was threatening to slip past her lips.
"You don't have to be rude."
"And you don't have to be so persistent," Sylvan instantly countered and she rolled her eyes, deciding to keep her mouth shut for now. She was just trying to have a conversation but it seemed like even talking was too bothersome for this handsome Prince.
Soon the music turned to fast pace and they both had to quicken their feet, but they were both so good at dancing and the tension between them only made the dance more exciting, so everyone stopped what they were doing and watched them with interest.
The skirt of Adeline's dress swayed left and right as Sylvan swirled her around, her hair swirling with her movements and giving her an otherworldly charm that wasn't there the first time they danced. His hand on her waist became firmer by the second and their faces closer and closer, almost touching until he had to pull away for her to twirl several times and fall back into his arms.
Adeline was the one who had been charmed by Sylvan the first time they danced, but this time it was the other way round because despite not showing it, Sylvan was captivated and his dark eyes had a slight gleamer that one had to look very closely to notice.
On the other hand, Adeline was starting to feel nauseous and dizzy with all the swirling, mostly because she hadn't eaten anything for hours.
When she did the last twirl, she was certain that she would fall flat on her face because her vision blurred for a moment, but she ended up landing on Sylvan's firm chest, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly as she closed her eyes and tried taking deep breaths. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck and he could feel her laboured breathing, which brought a frown to his face.
"What is it?" He asked, his voice laced with a barely detectable twinge of concern, gently pulling her face away and holding it between his palms.
Adeline blinked rapidly, trying to focus and her vision cleared up a little bit. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to regain her composure and when she did, she pulled away and mustered a smile.
She curtseyed and Sylvan bowed, his eyes never leaving her face which was now unreadable.
The guests' cheers and claps broke through their thoughts and they snapped back to the present, only to find everyone praising them, either vocally or with wide smiles that revealed their feelings.
Adeline smiled back while Sylvan nodded curtly and they walked out together, but at the door, Sylvan took a turn and Adeline stepped outside alone.
As soon as the cold night breeze hit her face, she felt like she could breathe again andshe blew out air from her mouth, just taking a moment to take in as much of the fresh air as possible, her hand subconsciously caressing her stomach.
The place she walked into was a garden, surrounded by small hedges lining the narrow cobblestoned paths. Fire torches allowed Adeline to admire the beautiful flowers surrounding a small fountain and the starry sky, the serene atmosphere calming her nerves as she continued standing at the same place. Just then, she heard the door behind her open and Katherine walked to her with a worried expression, clutching her shawl tightly around her shoulders.
"Are you alright? What happened?" She asked, her gaze raking over Adeline's face which was now flushed because of the wind.
"Nothing. I'm just hungry," Adeline responded, walking towards the small bench under a huge tree.
Katherine followed her, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. "You looked like you were about to faint. Should I bring you something to eat? We'll still have to go back to the party," she offered and Adeline nodded.
Katherine left and soon returned with a tray in her hands, filled with a little bit of everything, including the cake Adeline had tried earlier on, and a glass of wine to accompany the meal.
Adeline murmured a thank you and gobbled up everything as fast as she could while Katherine waited patiently, and they were soon back at the party which was now merrier because the drinks had started to mess with people's heads.
The dancefloor had more people now and they danced happily, except for one pair who stood out in the crowd. They danced slowly while clinging to each other, as if they were in their own small world and they couldn't notice anything around them.
The woman who wore and emerald green dress leaned her face on the man's shoulder, a satisfied smile on her lips and it was only when they turned around that Adeline recognised the man to be Sylvan and her eyes widened, her jaw almost falling to the ground in shock.
They both looked so intimate, even as the woman drew back and said something to Sylvan which made his gaze soften and his lips curl upwards into an unadulterated smile, and Adeline could no longer hold her lips together.
"What the hell?"