My eyes lifted, the smile already on my face. “Hey, how are you?” I asked, opening up the book to the title page, only to find a folded note set within the crease. I eyed it, signing my name quickly.
“Good,” he said when I pushed the book back. “The note is for you.”
I studied his brown eyes for a second, the smile remaining, trained at this point. “Oh, thank you,” I nodded, taking it out of the book and setting it to the side.
He continued to smile, nothing remarkable about him. Just an ordinary guy with an ordinary smile. He gave me a curt nod, tucked the book under his arm, and left without another word.
Okay, that was strange.
I glanced over to Katie, wondering if she had noticed it, but she was already waving me onto the next person.
I rolled my eyes and tucked the note away, moving on with the signing. My hand was starting to hurt, but I had to push through. I had a few dozen people left and time was running out.
“Hello, prickling rose.”
My eyes shot up from the book that landed on my table, finding a pair of terrifying Devil-blue eyes, that mask plastered on his face.
“Oh,” Katie said, stepping up. “You’re not allowed to wear masks in here.”
“She knows me,” he said with a smile. “Don’t you?”
My heart was skipping. What thefuckwas he doing here?
“Rose?”
I blinked a few times and shook my head. “Oh, um…yes, yeah, I know him, it’s okay.”
Katie gave me a look but resigned herself. I would certainly get flack about that later.
My eyes returned to Azrael, and I quickly signed his book.“What are you doing here?”
He looked down at me, something dark in his eyes. “Things tend to move rather quickly in the end, don’t they?” he asked, his stare unwavering. “The snowball effect, they call it. Happens in every story, no matter the plot or how hard the author tries to drag it out, every story hits that crucial point where there is nothing left to do or say but allow the characters to just…suffer.”
I swallowed, my skin chilling. “What?”
His smile grew sharp. “It’s about time to suffer, dear rose. I would apologize, but every character has their arc, now it’s time for yours.”
With that, he turned on his heel and headed for stage left.
What. The.Fuck.
My heart was pounding, my panic growing at his words. Snowball effect? Suffer…
I instantly reached for that note.
“Abigail,” Katie said, joining my side, “are you okay?”
I tore it open, my hands shaking as I read over the words.
We have the girl.
Make a choice.
My brows furrowed, confusion filling me. What girl? It’s been a few hours since I last saw Evelyn…
I lifted my head, searching the crowd.
“Abigail,” Katie said again. “You still have more signings to do.”
