y

k that sip, I knew tha

the Ether Pack using me, t

his head, like he was trying to wake up from a nap he hadn't taken. S

eyes already losing s

ed every part of this ballroom, where the candlelight flickered weakest, whic

matedly, like a girl playing hostess at her own wedding. Killian chu

s sli

a

drink again but he also didn'

least, some part o

is limp was still visible, the result of my kick catching him straight betwee

me, of course, they didn't expect

k of a

alf

he felt it, and gave the tinie

o

e silent conversations between t

.. now I saw the truth. They had always been a team. A vicious, manip

elene laughed again, that ridiculous high-pitched titter she reserved for when

w cle

. Not quite rage, not quite hea

e first time Selene used the shadows and the silver

ear

lian, to give him a gift I had made myself as a token of my apology for breaking ou

behind the

d he... he wasn't pulling away. Their

en gasped.

widened in false surprise

an tu

yr

e gift to

ce trembling. "No, I

ot what you think. I... something

hissed. "You don't get to pl

uded. Slow. But h

arsely. "I thought... I thought she

ly. "You couldn't even tell the difference be

hand. "Lyra, I swear, something's wrong.

onvenient. You know what?

like I had

e I would never choose someone who kisses m

ned hi

lked

t see h

't loo

ke fire under my skin no

e hadn't

d left him in

r ag

this

this

olished floor. The moment they turned toward the side

fted back to me, m

to race in the forest as pu

and groggy. "That...

id. "You have always h

I had a soft spot for

ne p

cked once.

h a giggle. "Memo

hm

nd took the left turn toward the g

ike la

d get him alone. Pretend to be a

onight. N

breath, like smoke. My wolf wh

oute before. Probably checking to make sure the room was "p

zed ever

t time they would e

e clever. That their

alked this

wasn't walking aw

ell, Selene turned to Killian

" she whispered.

ightly. "I don't... I

he cooed. "I'll

i

any

ot fo

the drape of a tapestry as she led him into the

darkened b

o the corridor, e

t st

th c

ink they ha

m all t

tonight,

fall, I'll be the