e festivities, but the rest of the firmament was nothing but ebony, crowned by a full moon sliding below the horizon, its pale or

s, haphazardly thrown up to create some sort of perimeter and several more temporary dwellings within the outer circle. It was difficult to ascertain exactly how large the area was. Several bonfires were strewn amongst the structures, and the smoke created a permanent

than those in masks and capes. Everywhere she looked, Cadence saw complicated facial piercings, brightly colored hair, and any skin that was showing (and there was a lot, despite the cooler temperatures

souls wandering around, eyes wide open, mouths ajar. But the majority of the attendees had cl

eaded, turning to Jack and

to hear. “What’s that?” he

lers now, and their piercing stares seemed almost mesmerizing, not in a way that made Caden

r, though his expression was not quite as chipper as his ex-girlfriend’s. Taylor and Sydney were both cowering behind Jon, only peering out from around his shoulders from time to time t

be able to get Drew to come wi

was if they picked her up and carried her. “Maybe we can convince her,” she said, letting go

ever could. She turned to see what it was, but by the time she was able to whip her head around, it was gone. She didn’t fee

lled by the music. Ahead of them, some belly dancers were entertaining a crowd near a small bonfire, and Drew pulled away from Cadence, headed

lf, moving and gyrating however the music moved them. There were only a few couples dancing together, and they seemed to be performing some sort of mating ritual, or perhaps a few of them were mating, though

oing on behind her. Cadence was hopeful it would stay this way. She wasn’t exactly sure w

here, all still together. That, at least, was something to be grateful for. She turned back to Drew in time to see some sort of an Egyptian hand-flare, like something out of a Bangles video, and shook her head in

sely, and the person, what appeared to be a muscular man, faded back into the darkness of the trees and disappeared. She almost rubbed her eyes