“I can see that.”
“What are you still doing here?” he asked. “Out of all the ladies in this joint, practically drooling over you, surely there’s one you like.”
I crossed my arms. “I don’t get why that’s any of your business.”
“It’s not. It just bugs me to have you watching me like a hawk and counting my calories,” he shot back.
I chuckled softly, then glanced around the room again. All the iconic couples were on the dance floor, swaying to the music as they surrounded Harper and Caspian. For a moment, I was mesmerized by layers of silk and velvet, chiffon and satin, lace and tulle and dazzling jewelry. This moment was a merger of worlds, and it was extraordinary.
Different species from different planets had come together to celebrate love. And, judging by the slight pang in my stomach, I probably wanted a slice of this, too.
The bride and groom seemed oblivious to the rest of the world. They only had eyes for each other, moving to the gentle rhythm of music—a ballad, if I remembered correctly. At their table, the Novaks who weren’t dancing were busy sampling a variety of spiced blood mixes. There were fruity desserts and cupcakes available for the non-vampires, as well. Earthly wedding traditions were interesting, to say the least.
At the table next to theirs, I spotted the Novaliks again. This time, however, I could see Amelia clearly. She was completely different from everyone else, I realized, feeling the air temporarily leave my lungs. She wore her blond hair short, in a simple and light pixie cut. It curled around her temples, and it brought out the delicate curves of her ears.
She was pale but beautiful, her blue eyes seemingly holding the entire world together. I hadn’t seen such intensity before. I was willing to bet that she was building full profiles of people in her head, whenever she looked at them. Her nose was slim and small, perfectly matched with her soft, pink lips. The tight, pale blue dress made her seem brighter than she really was. She smiled and talked to her parents and other guests, but, whenever no one was looking, she glanced to the side and sighed deeply, as if she couldn’t wait to get out of here.
Not a people person, I take it.
I could see parts of her mother present—the gentle jawline, the soft gaze directed at someone she was fond of. But I could also see her father in her. There was a certain darkness to Amelia. Some kind of danger lurking beneath the surface, eager to be let out.
When her eyes met mine, I was transfixed.
Then, someone else caught my attention as he passed by me, talking to himself.
“Good grief, will you just stop?!” he muttered, gritting his teeth.
I turned around to look at him as he wandered between the tables. He was a fae, with delicate features and an auburn mane forcibly pulled into a bun at the top of his head. His amber eyes were bloodshot, and he was drenched in sweat. I recognized the military uniform and Fire Star regalia. He was part of Sherus and Nuriya’s delegation. Their table wasn’t too far from where I stood.
“What’s up?” Herakles asked, coming up to me with a full dessert plate and a puff of whipped cream persisting at the corner of his mouth.
I nodded at the frantic fae. “Him. He seems off,” I said.
“Define ‘off’,” Herakles replied, checking the guy out. His eyes widened when the fae turned around. The poor fellow was practically livid. “Oh.”
I couldn’t help but go back to Dmitri, Aida, and Jovi’s account of the northern woods incident. Looking around the banquet hall, I spotted the Blackhall brothers at a table, laughing and talking to their parents and partners. I waved a hand, enough for Dmitri to see me. He then followed my gaze and spotted the fae.
His brow furrowed. His eyes glimmered with some kind of recognition.
“I said no…” the fae continued.
By now, there were several pairs of eyes on him—wedding guests seated at nearby tables who could hear him and were probably wondering what he was doing. For starters, he was turning around, over and over, with his head down as he cursed through a locked jaw. He was angry and frustrated. He didn’t seem right at all.
Looking at the Blackhalls again, I noticed Dmitri had already left the table. He was halfway across the dancefloor, subtly avoiding dancing couples as he made his way toward us.
“Should we take the guy out?” Herakles asked, his gaze fixed on the fae.
“That’s Myris Fenn,” Dmitri interjected, just as he reached us. “I know him.”
“Do you know what’s happening to him?” I replied.
Dmitri sighed. “No. But I’ve seen it before.”
“The woods, right?” I asked.
The fae cried out in pain, then took several clumsy steps backward. His hands were incandescent, bright orange and completely unnatural, from what I knew about fae. His terrified expression confirmed my suspicions. Something was happening. Something he wasn’t in control of.
“The end is nigh!” Myris shouted, his voice broken. “The world is coming to an end!”
“Myris, what’s wrong?” Dmitri replied, cautiously moving toward him.
Myris shrugged, his eyes glassy and wide. “I… I don’t know. I can’t stop it.”
“Stop what?” Dmitri asked.
“This!” Myris replied, as his forearms turned bright orange, like his hands. Whatever it was, it was spreading. My stomach tightened. My instincts were kicking in. Nothing good could come out of this.
“Myris, come on. Calm down,” I said. “Deep breaths, buddy. In and out.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” he screamed.
Silence fell around us. The music stopped. People stared. No one was dancing, but I could think of at least a few Shadians and Eritopians who were already discreetly reaching for their knives, in case they needed to intervene.
“You don’t understand,” Myris added, his lower lip quivering. “You don’t understand… It’s ending. It’s all ending…”
“What is ending?” Dmitri asked, trying to stall him.
“The world. It’s ending. It’s done,” Myris replied, then suddenly straightened himself up into an awkwardly stiff posture. His eyes were like giant marbles, squeezing themselves out of his skull.
