's

power laid bare under the glittering chandeliers, the sha

it was perfectly tailored, a younger version of me with those wide, sea

breathe steady. This wasn't my world any

wn-but beneath all the glitter and glass, I felt e

the room, my

a

is presence filling the room without effort. His black suit was sharp

ng deep beneath his high cheekbones. Mollie-delicate, bright, a stark

knew b

g-the kind of stare that saw right through the s

noise, the glittering chaos-all gone. Just the two of us, t

, fierce and unsteady. I swallowe

ent and unaware. "Mom, wh

my lips. "Just someone important," I said, thoug

gaze flickered, darkening when it landed on Adrian

shock? Recognition? I wasn't sure if I im

e moved deeper into the hall, weaving through the crowd, tryin

like static-unseen but impossible to ignore.Then, h

ok diff

been

e ye

tching in my throat. He was close now, standing not far fro

smile, cold and cal

"Nyx," she said, voice sweet but hard unde

her

s, and I crouched down, whispering

. "Who's this?" His voice was low, his eyes

llowed hard, lying with

bitter and he

nmistakable. "He looks a lot like me." Heat flared through me, wild

ce smooth but icy, "if you're here for business, Kalyndr

e jaw tightened almost painfully

exit, every step feeling like a battle. But then, like a sh

and rough like gravel, his eyes dark with fir

Nyx-don't think you can do i

d in a shaky breath, trying to steady my nerves. Adrian

. who

lose. "Just someone from the past." But I k

. There was something else tangled in those dark eye

re woven tight

wn, heavy and sharp. That night, the bond, the fi

t was all