It was official.

Rayne Vance was no longer a fighter.

She was definitely a dancer; not that anyone had ever asked. But, yes. She was a dancer girl and she wouldn't mind if she never fought again after the training she was having with Jarrah, who glided her around Daphne.

Rayne didn't take Jarrah for a dancer, but he was a king after all. She was almost sure that he had attended multiple balls before, or at least trained for them with how well he waltzed her through the clearing. He was a true gentleman and never commented on the few times she stepped on his shoes and offered her smiles of encouragement whenever he knew she was unsure of herself.

Jarrah continued practicing with her long after the sun went down and he twirled her body expertly in his brawny arms, drawing her closer after each round. It was only after the first ten minutes of looking everywhere but at him did she finally have the confidence to stare into his twinkling brown eyes.

Wait—did she really just say twinkling?

Swallowing back the invisible throw up she had for herself, she moved her focus back to Jarrah before she could trip over her feet in silent embarrassment. He removed his hand from hers briefly now, and the arm that was around her back crossed over the front of her and over her stomach as they stood side by side. His fingers were soft against her waist, and she instinctually wrapped her hand around his neck, her fingers diving into the silk of hair that was softer than she had imagined it being possible. She didn't even realize he was moving them until she blinked, as she was too caught up in their shared eye contact.

"I'm guessing you've done this before?" Rayne whispered, though her voice sounded more like a quiet squeak when she asked.

Jarrah smiled. "I am a king."

"How did I know that was going to be your answer?" she grumbled, and he shook his head with a hearty laugh as he spun her around again.

"Because you know me so well after just a few weeks?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged. "How well do other people know you? As royalty and all?"

He pursed his lips at the question. She wasn't too surprised by his next answer. "I guess not very well. Aside from my family."

"See? You need at least one outside person to know you then."

"Do I?" Jarrah teased, raising an eyebrow as he took posssession of her hand again so they were back at their original position. His arm was strong and warm around her back, the secure hold drifting a string of butterflies out of the pit of her stomach that was usually full with iron. She wasn't the type to dream about butterflies and all that nonsense; and yet, here she was, doing exactly that.

Rayne's couldn't stop the bright (and slightly flirty) smile from curving her lips. "You do."

The music that the nyphms had presented in the background grew to a close, and by the eruption of claps and cheers, their dancing had come to an end as well. Rayne and Jarrah slowly still their movements, removing every point of contact from one another except for their eyes. That remained locked, secure in their new burning curiosity that mirrored their expressions.

Rayne uncomfortably cleared her throat. "Er, thank you for that. I um, I didn't realize dancing could be so fun."

Jarrah's smile was crooked and warm. "Guess you wolves should stop stalking so much and dance more often, then."

"I don't think Ronan will be that good of a partner," she laughed, wrinkling her nose at the thought. Her and Ronan would be arguing the entire time if they did. "You'll be luckier with your fiance, I'm sure."

Something dimmed in his expression then. "I suppose so."

Selestia was the first of the nymphs to catch onto the awkwardness lingering in the air between them. She wrapped her arm casually through Jarrah's and pulled him towards the dinner table, asking about his dance moves while sending a wink back to Rayne after she mouthed a 'thank you'. Jarrah looked back at her once, but she had to turn away from him and make her way towards Daphne's welcoming branches. Her leaves moved closer towards her trunk once Rayne was inside, giving them privacy in case she wanted to talk.

No wonder the nymphs come here, she thought to herself. There was something beautifully comforting about Daphne and her garden.

Rayne sat at the bottom of the tree along the roots with her cheek leaning against the smooth bark. She partially hugged the tree and listened to the soft rustling of her leaves which closely resembled one's heartbeat. She didn't know how long she sat there, just faintly listening to Daphne come alive to block out her voice from being heard, before she spoke up.

"Daphne I—" she paused. "I don't know what I'm doing . . . with Jarrah. He's to be married as soon as tʋnʋp is over and, and I just keep looking at him funny because I feel something funny towards him and I don't know why. We would never work."

A strand of Daphne's leaves touched Rayne's cheek, and a solid pushed through her subconscious in the softest feminine voice. It was soothing and full of butterflies and carnations sprouting in Spring, graceful yet unbelievably strong.

"Because I'm a wolf, an alpha at that. And he's the King of Fae," Rayne murmured. "There's so many complications, we could just never go together. We'd never be respected anywhere, and anyway, he's marrying someone he had a childhood with whom he cares about. I could never get in the middle of that."

"See what?" she frowned, but Daphne moved her branch away. Damn it.

Rayne sighed softly and closed her eyes, breathing in the earthy scent enveloping her tired body. For just a moment, she enjoyed the embrace of Daphne and found herself dozing off not long after, having been overcome by the warmth of her shelter. And for that small moment, she didn't have to worry about her family, tʋnʋp, Jarrah, her feelings, or anything else that would take the moment away from her. It was just her and Daphne, enjoying the calm of the night air, and keeping each other company.

"Rayne," someone whispered in the valley of Rayne's subconscious, followed by the faint brushing of a hand along her cheek.

"Hmm?" she hummed, her eyes slowly prying open into a squint as she attempted to focus on the person caressing her cheek. "Jarrah?"

In Jarrah's free hand was a plate of food as he sat kneeling at her side. A small smile pulled at the tips of his lips and he nodded sheepishly. "You've been out for an hour, so I uh, got you a plate of food. Are you hungry?"

Rayne's heart fluttered, and despite lazily blinking up at him, she allowed herself to smile back. "You made me food?"

"A plate of food," he teased, moving the warmth of his hand away from her face. She wanted to protest against that, but she didn't. That would have been more than humiliating.

"Ah," she whispered, attempting to move towards him but failing miserably by the tired weight of her body.

Jarrah chuckled and moved closer to her as he positioned himself on his butt. Her motioned for her to come to him, his body more than tempting to draw herself again. She hesitated briefly, but crawled in between his parted legs and leaned against the warmth of his chest as his free arm went around her, helping to prop her body up. His other hand held her plate for her, and when she turned to smiled up at him as a thank you, his features softened.

Rayne, for the next ten minutes, drifted between nibbling at her food, dozing off, having Jarrah nudge her awake, and nibbling at her food again. If she wasn't so out of it, she would have laughed at their situation. He sure as hell found it amusing, but he never voiced it except for the quiet chuckle every once in awhile.

When she finally swallowed her last bite of vegetables, she slumped completely against Jarrah. He snapped his fingers easily and the plate drifted away from them to go back towards the nymphs. She would have thought it was a cool trick if it wasn't for the urge to fall back asleep in the comfort of Daphne's garden.

Jarrah moved himself back against Daphne's tree trunk and dragged Rayne's body with him, never once complaining about the weight of her or anything. He simply wrapped her up in his arms and moved her closer to him once he was comfortable enough against Daphne's trunk. She didn't protest against the blanket of warmth his arms provided as he held her to him, both he and Daphne blocking out any cool breeze that could snake through.

"You sure you don't mind me sleeping here?" Rayne drawled, blinking up at him as she rested her shoulder under his arm so she could lay her cheek on his chest. He held her like a mother cradling her child, and she wasn't mad about it.

"I don't mind," Jarrah said, gently, drawing her closer to him.

That was all the answer Rayne needed.

She simply closed her eyes and fell asleep to the soft pounding of Jarrah's heartbeat beneath her ear.