Chapter 136: Belonging, Chains, and a Gift (3/3)

Mara hurried to offer Lili her seat, but the grandmother motioned for her to stay where she was. She put her hands on her hips and glanced around the table again. When her clear, blue eyes landed on Rowan, the warmth of the lamplight shone in their depths, and it was nothing to imagine them in the face of someone fifty years younger but no more beautiful.

"I've missed seeing that sweet face of yours," she said. "I bet this is torture for you, dear."

Rowan shrugged and glanced at the crowd. "It's not so bad. I think I could get used to it." 

Someone did something to cause the people on the dance floor to erupt in to spontaneous cheering, and Rowan winced at the onslaught of noise, totally destroying his attempt at nonchalance. This earned a chuckle from the grandmother who was one of the first people to treat him like he was the same as everyone else despite his extra talents.