The two of us followed our team as we walked off the stage, and I released a breath as we finally escaped the ever-monitoring drones for just a moment. The doors to the right of the stage slid open as we approached, and we passed by the next set of dancers, who were already taking our spots. I retracted my wings as soon as we were out of sight from the main stage of the nightclub, breathing a sigh of relief as I pulled them in, grateful they were no longer visible.
“Did you see the female who collapsed in the corner of the club during our last dance?” I questioned under my breath as we walked into the side room, heading to our lockers. “Her wings just crumpled under her as she fell onto the marbled floor.”
“Yes, Rae,” Emberly responded with a weary sigh as she met my inquisitive gaze. “And before you say anything else . . . I also saw the Royal Solis Guards escort her off the dance floor.”
“And you didn’t think anything of it?” I asked as I entered my number into the locker keypad that secured my belongings. Afaint whirl filled the air as the lock sprang free, and I tugged on the worn handle before it finally gave way, freeing my items.
“For the love of the gods, Rae,” Emberly retorted. “You’ve got to stop reading so many mystery books. She was probably just some higher-marked angel who abused her patron membership and passed out from one too many ambrosia shots.”
“What if it wasn’t? What if it was something else? What if the Aurelian Guild has infiltrated us? You’ve heard the rumors of what the Shade of the Aurelian Guild has been known to do,” I retorted, my mind racing at what the explanation could be.
“The Aurelian Guild?” Her voice went quiet as she looked at me. “Don’t lethimhear you saying anything about the Guild. I don’t need my wings clipped for talks of treason—ofspies.”
“I’m just saying . . . bodies dropping, disappearing. I wouldn’t put it past Aurum Quarter to send the Aurelian Guild in to slowly pick us off, one by one.”
“For the love of Astara.” Emberly sighed in exasperation as she glanced at me from her own locker, the shadows flickering across her face.
“I’m just saying,” I replied as I caught my reflection in the mirror at the back of my locker. Unruly brown curls were slipping free from my updo, and the silver glitter I’d dusted my cheeks with mixed with the natural scattering of freckles across my nose, creating a constellation.
“Well, if it isn’t the two finest dancers on this side of the Quarter,” a low tone joked as a male stepped into view. Dusty brown hair with hints of gold came into the light as Finnick walked into the room, his green eyes glowing with amusement.
“You say that to every dancer on our team,” Emberly replied mockingly. “At least save the flattery for the next victim you drag to bed.”
“Victim! I would never,” he exclaimed, his hand grasping his heart in jest. “You wound me, Emberly. The next female I bring home could be my starbound . . . you never know.”
“One can’t be wounded if they have no heart,” I chimed in as I nudged Finnick’s shoulder, brushing past him to change out of my outfit.
“Your starbound? Seriously?” Emberly laughed, her brown eyes twinkling as she stared at Finn. “You’re telling me you think one ofthosefemales is going to be your gods-gifted match for eternity?”
Finn glared at Emberly, opening his mouth to refute her statement, but I beat him to it.
“Evenif finding a starbound wasn’t a rarity—which it is—I don’t believe you’re going to find yourstarboundat the bars you seem to frequent.”
“You’re one to talk,” Finn replied, shooting a dimple grin my way. “But you never know, the legends claim it just takes one touch to find the one the gods have destined to be yours . . . So who knows, maybe evenyouwill find yours one day.”
“We both know that starbound matches are of the past. They don’t exist,” I replied, ignoring his teasing as I began removing the sheer layers of clothing, knowing he was right about one thing.
I didn’t have a heart, or at least, not in the way it mattered.
Those pieces of me had been shattered long ago, and now, the only thing that mattered was my family’s protection—their safety in this stars-damned Quarter of Aurelia.
“And what were you two discussing before you decided to mock my search for my starbound?” he inquired, eyes glancing between the two of us as he grabbed his own clothing from his locker and crammed it into the duffel bag in his hand.
“Rae’s had her head stuck in her books for too long once again.”
“I have not!” I protested as I tugged on my shirt, even as my best friend tried to continue. She spun around, her blonde hair swinging over her shoulder as she stuck out her tongue at me.
“Have too,” she proclaimed, as though we were children.
“Let me guess . . .” Finnick paused dramatically while wagging his eyebrows in jest. “She’s at it again with the mystery novels.”
“I’m not at anything.” I sighed in frustration as I glanced between my two friends. “I just think it’s awfully strange that three different bodies have dropped with no explanation. And no one seemed concerned—not even the two of you.”
“Not to point out the obvious, darling.” Finn’s voice was a rumble as he shut his locker. “But we dance . . . at a nightclub . . . Drinking is a common activity in these places.”
“You don’t know they were drunk,” I protested.
“Again . . .” Finn paused teasingly. “It’s one of the wealthiest nightclubs in all of Solis Quarter. Nearly every patron who sets foot in thisenchantingbuilding is wasted. Stop overanalyzing drunken buffoonery. You’ve just been stressed lately with your sisters’ marking coming up, that’s all. And no one can blame you after how Orela’s marking went, but you need to find another way to let the stress out.”
