Airam's eyes narrowed the instant he pulled her in.
For half a beat, her body stayed hard with resistance, every line in her frame refusing his lead on principle alone. Then the music pressed forward, and she moved because standing still would have made Esther's eagerly fixed gaze the first casualty of her stubbornness.
Ulrich felt the change at once.
She followed.
Reluctantly, like granting a concession she already intended to resent later, but she followed.
The faster rhythm suited her better than he had expected.
Hermione had overthought every step. Esther had trusted him enough to let herself be carried through the dance. Airam did neither. She listened, and answered each movement with clean precision. There was very little softness in the way she danced, but there was balance, control, and a sharp awareness of timing that kept her from falling even half a step behind him.
Ulrich guided her through a turn.
Airam matched it.
