Page 300 of Axis of Fire

While Tarven dropped into the chair beside Flora, I quietly exhaled before taking the seat next to Rosalie.

“Tarven, we seriously can't wait to see you on television again,” Daisy said brightly as she immediately began piling food onto his plate from nearly every dish on the table.

The Selection had always been Daisy's favorite event of the year.

Every year she paid attention to what Tarven wore.

Who he danced with.

Everything.

“This year you'll be dancing with Anastasia, right?” Gabriella asked, glancing between the two of us.

Honestly, we hadn't even talked about it.

There had never really been a reason to.

The answer had always been obvious.

“Of course,” Tarven replied.

“I also became Stasia's mentor this year.”

“Yes, we were absolutely thrilled to hear that,” Flora said, making no attempt whatsoever to hide the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Not a single person at the table reacted.

“We just hope you won't distract our brother too much with all your problems,” Rosalie added sweetly, blinking with practiced innocence.

My fingers tightened around the fabric of my training pants.

Every part of me wanted to disappear.

Despite sitting at a table surrounded by people...

I'd never felt more alone.

They kept talking.

But I stopped listening.

Stopped trying to follow the conversation altogether.

Right now, I had only one goal.

To become part of the furniture.

Something unnoticed.

Something untouchable.

And somehow survive the night.

Illariana Arden’s POV

Airis’s third favorite installation was hidden beneath the restaurant where we had finished dinner only a few minutes earlier.

The spiral staircase seemed endless.