A Valley of Darkness (A Shade of Vampire #52)(15)

I moved back a few steps, focusing my hearing on their exchange.

“They won’t see the connection,” Darius said to Emilian. “It’s best to let them follow the leads they have, for now.”

“They’re getting involved in our internal affairs,” Caspian muttered. “I don’t want my people under the scrutiny of complete strangers.”

“Their mission is to investigate the disappearances, Caspian,” Emilian replied. “How we enforce our laws is out of their reach or jurisdiction. But—”

Caspian shushed him as he spotted me. Shadows passed over his face, his nostrils flaring. He was angry.

“Let’s go somewhere more private,” he commanded the others, who then noticed me and put on a collective frown. They moved away from the edge, and vanished from my field of vision.

That reaction rang an alarm bell in my head and served to make me even more curious.

I hurried up the stairs to the upper level, but on reaching it, I found they were nowhere to be seen. I used my True Sight to scan the entire platform and its buildings, but I couldn’t see the Five Lords anywhere. It was as if they’d vanished.

“What are you people so secretive about?” I muttered, mostly to myself, before turning to head back to the inn.

On one hand, I had to give them the benefit of the doubt. They were Lords of the city, and they probably had a lot of confidential matters to discuss. No one liked an eavesdropper, after all. But given how shady Caspian had been acting from the moment we’d first met, I couldn’t help but struggle with the assumption that they were, in fact, hiding something.

I wasn’t sure if it had anything to do with the disappearances, but I knew my curiosity always got the better of me. I had to believe I’d find out eventually.

One thing was clear, though. Caspian thought he could scare me away with his repeated “advice” to go back to Calliope, and I needed to prove him wrong. You didn’t scare Shadians away. Deflection tactics only made us want to dig deeper.





Harper





(Daughter of Hazel & Tejus)





We put on our ridiculously expensive but absolutely stunning Spring Ball outfits and met outside the Kifo mansion on the top level of the mountain. The Kifo residence was huge, a small palace with a luscious white marble fa?ade, red tile roofing, and cast iron decorative elements. It spoke of luxury and nobility, its straight lines and sharp edges reminding the beholder of the family’s stern military history.

The fountain mounted in the spacious front yard gushed with fresh water, skirted by a multitude of colorful blossoms in marble planters. Maras flocked toward the main entrance, clad in some truly extravagant costumes. They were welcomed by Imen servants in black uniforms.

I was one of the first GASP agents to arrive, followed by Jax, Heron, Avril, Blaze, Fiona, and Scarlett. They all looked gorgeous, prompting me to repeatedly praise Vincent’s tailors. They’d even made me look great, dressing me up in a beautiful white silk dress with long sleeves, a tight bodice, and a rich skirt, its bottom half covered in hand-sewn pale blue blossoms and sapphire gemstones. I’d styled my long black hair in a loose bun, sprinkled with faux blossoms, and I’d settled for a pair of elegant white flats. I was tall enough as it was; I didn’t aim to tower over the other guests. Blaze had been kind enough to let me feed off his energy back at the Inn, so I had an extra kick in my heel.

I glanced around, noticing the painstaking amounts of work that had gone into some of the Maras’ costumes. The dresses were huge, compared to ours, visual odes to springtime blossoms covered in faux flowers, colorful gemstones, and gold thread embroidery. The males were quite dapper as well, their three-piece suits ranging from pale blue and black velvet to a dazzling spectrum of green, yellow, and orange silk, matched with elegant top hats and crisp white shirts. It felt like I was watching an haute couture fashion show between nineteenth-century ballroom styles and seventeenth-century French trends.

“What’s taking them so long?” Jax muttered, his gaze fixed on the stairways leading up to the terrace. He looked particularly dashing in his grayish-green tux, but the frown on his face didn’t fit the overall outfit.

We were waiting for Hansa and Caia. I couldn’t wait to see what those two had chosen to wear, though I had a feeling that whatever Hansa had gone for, it would leave Jax speechless. I had a soft spot for the succubus, not just because we had a few traits in common, but also because of how she made her beauty look effortless.

Heron had opted for a similar combination as Jax, except his waistcoat was greener, further accentuating his jade eyes. Avril was a vision of fiery red, and I had to stifle a few giggles watching Heron trying to keep his cool in her presence. Not only was he not used to elegant clothes, but he certainly hadn’t been expecting Avril to look so beautifully devastating. In fact, the young Mara looked paler than usual, and was unable to take his eyes off her.

“I’m sure they’re on their way,” Avril said to Jax with a half-smile, then noticed Heron once again staring and raised an eyebrow. “Is there something you wish to say?”

“Nope.” He shook his head, regaining his cool. “Just wondering why you ladies think it’s okay to keep us all waiting like this for a ball we don’t even plan to actually enjoy.”

“Hah, speak for yourself.” Fiona grinned, radiant in her turquoise dress, hands resting on her hips. “I plan to make the most of tonight!”