"Hey, Bastian!" Rivienne found him near the door to the garden talking to Baron Henry about golden prices and all the boring stuff. She waited for them to be done with it and sneakily grabbed Bastian by the hand not letting him escape.
"What? What is it?" Bastian knew something was going on with her awfully happy face.
"Dance with me," Rivienne said. His legs were already walking towards the dance floor.
"Why should I?" He began to take off her hand from the knot he was in. "I don't want to. The duke said-"
"Dance. with. me" Rivienne threatened him while smiling. The invitation to the library was in her hand clenched in. Evidently, she cannot vanish in the middle of a ball without dancing and supplying juicy rumors to talk about. Somehow she has taken the responsibility of Neja and Bastian's wedding. He was going to be a golden goose and the giants would flock around him. She was protecting Bastian. Not using him.
