Adonis pov

For a moment I danced with a cloud. Her hands so soft, so small slid into my hands which was the opposite of Riona's. Rough, scarred and much bigger than hers. Her body was pale. As white as snow while as soft as the clouds. She was still skinny but still better when I first met her when she was a walking skeleton. 

I allowed my hands to run down her white bodice, which did nothing but highlight her figure carefully, onto her waist as the dance continued. 

Who would have guessed a cloud-like hers could be like a thundercloud? She stood tall even against Lady Zenith from the great house. The house that destroyed my family, perhaps that is why I felt happy right now even if she did attract more attention than needed standing tall without faltering in front of others wasn’t a bad thing.

Although currently, she seemed to be in another world as she stared into my eyes lost with her small grey somewhat like diamonds. “Riona,” I whispered softly in her ears trying to reel her back into reality but the response I received was her stare briefly at my hands on her waist and a shiver when I closed the distance between us pulling her closer. Her crimson ribbon somewhat like blood stood out as her sleeve hung down lifelessly with snake-like patterns. The sweat slowly and discreetly travelled down the side of her face as she continued to wear the same exhausted and fake smile she always did just like Amelie. 

I was fooled by a fake smile once but this time I won’t.

“If you are uncomfortable just tell me,” I told her as I spun around creating a distance comfortable for her.

“Who said I was uncomforta-” she blurted out as she broke out of her trance giving me an awkward smile.

“You have been spaced, you look like you saw a demon and you are trembling,” I listed, as I removed my hands from her waist and twirled her around breaking away from the traditional dance choreography. 

“I’m fine,” she lied as she adjusted herself to the change of dance style.

“Having a worn-out partner is no good perhaps, drawing more attention to yourself than needed tired you out quite easily,” I said placing on a cheerful smirk that she hated but even that barely made a dent in her mask of fake happiness. 

“I'm aware that I have drawn even more attention however if you seek to gain influence should you not gain the respect of others? Letting them walk over me would have the opposite effect” she stated releasing a sigh of tiredness.

“That is correct, perhaps we should go mingle with nobles together,” I suggested loosely locking my fingers into her hand “This is fine, right? You're not uncomfortable?” I questioned and when I did for a split second there was a glimpse of sadness and shock mixed into one.  “I'm alright thank you for your concern,” she lied reminding me of Amelie…