Nothing she said served to break the spell – only heightened his feeling that all this must be a dream. For she had played along, was still teasing about being mortal or not and about stealing hearts, and when she brushed a lock of hair from his forehead he was almost convinced she could steal his heart, whatever she said.
He offered her a dreamy smile, his feet slowing with the music – as far as he could tell, with all his attention fixed on her. It might be too late for me, Endymion almost wanted to say: but now that was getting carried away. He must be very drunk indeed. She wasn’t really a naiad... but she was wearing a mask, was a stranger in society. “Of course,” he agreed in a murmur, eyes alight. “I’ll keep your secret, and you can keep your heart – and the hat, too. But,” Endymion added, in a sudden, not-quite-teasing plea, “won’t you give me something to remember you by?”
He offered her a dreamy smile, his feet slowing with the music – as far as he could tell, with all his attention fixed on her. It might be too late for me, Endymion almost wanted to say: but now that was getting carried away. He must be very drunk indeed. She wasn’t really a naiad... but she was wearing a mask, was a stranger in society. “Of course,” he agreed in a murmur, eyes alight. “I’ll keep your secret, and you can keep your heart – and the hat, too. But,” Endymion added, in a sudden, not-quite-teasing plea, “won’t you give me something to remember you by?”
