“Yes, Father, I will.”
Singleton-Smith and my father share a satisfied smile. “Now, Cosmo, why don’t you take Jordan to dance?”
“Of course.”
Then my father twists his body, pulling my sister closer.
Gods, I’d almost forgotten she was standing there.
What does she make of all this?
“Aurora, I have someone I want you to meet. A man who will be a very important part of our new dawn, and someone you are going to become extremely well acquainted with.”
Father gestures to Thomas Crankshawe. His beady eyes gleam, and his tongue darts out to wet his lips beneath the pencil moustache.
“What, what do you mean by that, Father?” Rory asks, flicking her eyes quickly up to our parent and away again.
“What? Spoil the surprise?” The jovial act really doesn’t suit my father. I watch Aurora shudder and feel helpless as he pushes her towards Crankshawe. “Aurora would love to dance with you, Thomas. Do take her.”
Take her. Fuck.
He’s pimping my baby sister to fucking Thomas Crankshawe? Every part of me wants to turn around, grab Aurora, and run, run, run. But I can’t. She’ll be alright for a dance or two, surely.
Please Gods.
I have to play the dutiful son for a while longer. “Shall we?” I say to Jordan, offering her my arm. As we walk towards the dance floor, I see a flash of color and realize Theodora is hovering next to a pillar near my father.
She needs to be careful.
The Conclave must not discover she can destroy the darkness.
If they have even an inkling of the power inside that girl, and the way her light purged the hate from my veins?
I shudder at the thought.
Her voice flashes into my head.—Your dad and Jordan’s dad both had the dark essence, but not the woman or the girl—
I keep my face impassive, but internally sag with so much relief that Aurora has been spared—so far.
Can’t say I’m surprised Janine Singleton-Smith hasn’t been given extra power.
“Cosmo!”
“Sorry, dear.” Mechanically, I take Jordan onto the dance floor, and she sways in my arms as a string quartet plays classical versions of pop songs.
I don’t hate the interpretation of Taylor Swift’sEverything Has Changed.
Everythinghaschanged—at least for me.
Since Theodora pulled that foul essence from my body, it’s like I’m seeing the world through new eyes. I have x-ray vision that cuts through bullshit, including my own. Mostly, my own.
“Gods, can you believe Naomi turned up with that dud? Talk about dumbing down,” Jordan sneers, as Watson and Theodora’s friend waltz by.
Truthfully, I’d much rather hang with them than the next couple that come up to us. Kayla Cox and Klein Schweinesteiger.
They dance beside us for another go around until Kayla stumbles drunkenly against her boyfriend. “Jord! Come with me to the ladies, we can make it snow!”
Perfect.
