Chapter 10: The Feast of Masks16Please respect copyright.PENANAXpSzyHizGK
Scene 1: Invitations and Intrusions16Please respect copyright.PENANAaFZPerO7qu
The chill of midwinter crept through the ancient stone corridors of Reverend Watt High, its breath fogging windows and curling beneath uniform hems. With it came anticipation—the annual midwinter banquet, known among students not for its formalities, but for its unspoken battles. It wasn't just a feast. It was where reputations were tested, alliances were paraded, and masks—figurative and literal—were worn with a sharp edge.16Please respect copyright.PENANAlFrednUDGM
Elara stood at her locker, spinning the lock with absentminded fingers when an envelope slid out from the vent at the top. Unmarked. Cream-colored. She frowned, unfolding it.16Please respect copyright.PENANAafRsTaF16e
You've been noticed. Don't pretend you haven't felt it. Come to the feast. Midnight. The real one. It's not the school's version. Wear red.16Please respect copyright.PENANAFwRZNxjJnZ
She glanced around. The hallway was crowded, noisy—but no one looked her way. At least, not directly. Eshon leaned against a pillar nearby, talking to one of the basketball guys, but his eyes flicked briefly to her and then away, too fast to be innocent.16Please respect copyright.PENANAVIW17DuUDS
She folded the note and slid it into her pocket. Her mind ticked.16Please respect copyright.PENANAscna9wzAkL
Across the school courtyard, Valen sat in the library's farthest corner, pretending to read while his phone buzzed on the desk beside him. He didn't check it immediately—he already knew what the message would say.16Please respect copyright.PENANAsjuDxXjTBC
The final decision on the exchange program must be made before Friday. Delays will disqualify your application. Congratulations again.16Please respect copyright.PENANAiLljoimwbc
His stomach knotted. It was everything he'd worked for. A scholarship abroad. A fresh start. An exit. But his glance toward the courtyard, where Kaeli and Eshon passed in silence, reminded him why he hadn't replied. Leaving meant breaking something that couldn't be fixed.16Please respect copyright.PENANA0nZmy07BE9
And then there was her—Elara.16Please respect copyright.PENANAaIRfU90ECm
He didn't know what to make of her yet, but she was different. Unshaken by the social ranks. Curious in ways others feared. And bold in ways that made even Moira pause.16Please respect copyright.PENANATzzyFpLvzJ
Speaking of Moira...16Please respect copyright.PENANAtMAQAfGdq7
In the girls' changing room, Moira sat on the marble bench as two of the Belles fussed over her nails. Her phone screen glowed with images—photoshopped ones, edited, curated, and ready for release. Elara would fall, she was sure of it. At the feast, in front of everyone.16Please respect copyright.PENANA5kozddQBpv
"Do you have her size?" Moira asked Lianne, who nodded. "Good. Then the dress will fit her like a charm. Too bad it's cursed."16Please respect copyright.PENANAalS36CIKlx
They laughed, but Aria's smile faltered.16Please respect copyright.PENANAuy8keTAZpm
"Are you sure it'll work?" Aria asked. "She's not like the others. She doesn't bite when provoked."16Please respect copyright.PENANAc6hz7KvePX
Moira's smirk turned blade-sharp. "Then we'll feed her something she can't resist."16Please respect copyright.PENANAfghG8pZsMR
Elsewhere, Eshon stood at the edge of the courtyard, watching Elara from a distance. His friends joked around, tossing snowballs, but he remained quiet, still. His loyalty to Kaeli ran deep—had always run deep. But there was something about the new girl that unsettled the order of things.16Please respect copyright.PENANAlUgRCeGRIb
He remembered her first day. How she'd smiled despite the stares. Sat where no one dared. There was something raw about her. Something real.16Please respect copyright.PENANATle3LlUmi8
He pulled his hood over his head as the bell rang, signaling the next class. As he passed the main office, he caught a glimpse of Valen through the window—phone in hand, eyes heavy with a decision.16Please respect copyright.PENANAmBCcoImIHG
Eshon's jaw tightened.16Please respect copyright.PENANAYJuoL4k0yj
Everyone was choosing something. Sides. Futures. Masks.16Please respect copyright.PENANAe2IqFUqBYz
He wasn't sure what he would choose. Not yet.16Please respect copyright.PENANAuD4AkAjG73
But the feast was coming.16Please respect copyright.PENANAfZOBQlyaM5
And nothing would stay hidden for long.
Scene 2: Threads of Fire16Please respect copyright.PENANA52QvgItIOu
The rehearsal hall, usually cold and echoing with unfinished notes, shimmered with candlelight and velvet. It had been transformed into a space of shadows and soft silks, where the students responsible for banquet performances were gathering.16Please respect copyright.PENANAzD4C9ngcNa
Elara had been asked to assist with the décor setup—not by staff, but by an anonymous note tucked into her poetry book. She hesitated at the entrance, adjusting her scarf. The room buzzed with quiet energy. Drama students practiced waltzes, musicians tuned violins, and Moira stood near the Centre, examining the lighting setup like a queen overseeing a court.16Please respect copyright.PENANAWVSjPLxGxZ
Eshon entered from the back, out of uniform, wearing a black turtleneck and the air of someone who didn't belong but was necessary. He wasn't part of the setup crew, but his presence wasn't questioned either. The shadows moved around him like they'd missed him.16Please respect copyright.PENANAasyOf2z3jb
Valen appeared minutes later. Not to help. Not really. He said it was to 'observe,' but in truth, he needed quiet space to think. Every step he took echoed like a decision.16Please respect copyright.PENANAzKmcaZyJ2U
Moira's eyes lit when she saw him.16Please respect copyright.PENANAQPm7p0NQgr
"You came," she said, brushing a speck from his sleeve.16Please respect copyright.PENANA4hUGxNrYU1
"I didn't say I wouldn't."16Please respect copyright.PENANALNDboSZJW0
She leaned in. "Big night. It'll shape everything."16Please respect copyright.PENANAMTyLh34MV6
Valen's reply was cut short when he noticed Elara arranging candlesticks by the piano. Alone. Focused. That same look of calm that frustrated people like Moira.16Please respect copyright.PENANAvmfM2939er
Eshon, too, was watching. But his gaze wasn't about frustration. It was curiosity. Respect.16Please respect copyright.PENANAy31o60uZ0i
"Why her?" someone whispered behind him.16Please respect copyright.PENANAkqij4Yw17y
He didn't answer. Not because he didn't know. But because the answer mattered too much.16Please respect copyright.PENANA01jvlSSIoK
At that moment, the lights flickered. All eyes turned upward. A gust of wind pushed through the cracks in the windows. The rehearsal hall darkened for a heartbeat, and when the lights steadied again—16Please respect copyright.PENANAku8MeUNZoo
A figure stood at the door.16Please respect copyright.PENANAkce4GyVyhR
The Headmaster.16Please respect copyright.PENANAxgzDDgITVn
"Banquet preparations are not just for your amusement," he said. "They are tradition. And tradition," he paused, scanning the room, "is the only mask we truly wear."16Please respect copyright.PENANAL0tGhxN7Fn
He left as quickly as he arrived, leaving behind an unsettled silence.16Please respect copyright.PENANAYvoMd3T1k5
Elara looked toward the window. Snow was starting to fall again.16Please respect copyright.PENANAVvqjRqtxVD
And somewhere deep within the stone halls of Reverend Watt High, the night was preparing its teeth.
Chapter 11: Before the Mask Falls16Please respect copyright.PENANAnrabadgnqT
Scene 1: Elara's Homestead16Please respect copyright.PENANAGAguzGKtMu
The invitation still felt heavier than paper should.16Please respect copyright.PENANAo7agKOgIzg
Elara sat alone in the living room, curled on the corner of the couch, jacket balled up beside her. The sealed parchment peeked from the pocket like it had a life of its own. Snow pressed silently against the windows. The world was quiet — too quiet for a girl who carried so much noise inside.16Please respect copyright.PENANAxpY64LvEmY
Jay walked into the room from the hallway, his sleeves rolled up, and a towel slung over his shoulder. He paused when he saw her staring at nothing.16Please respect copyright.PENANAlvHIZfcSxI
"Let me guess," he said. "You're either plotting revenge or avoiding homework."16Please respect copyright.PENANAfNzNUOZEAq
Elara gave a half-smile but didn't answer.16Please respect copyright.PENANAeMrbnMSc6B
Jay sat on the arm of the couch, eyebrows narrowing as he noticed the unease in her eyes.16Please respect copyright.PENANAWAq9sCZPEI
"What's wrong?"16Please respect copyright.PENANAOKqmyobfLN
She hesitated, then pulled the envelope from the jacket and handed it to him without a word.16Please respect copyright.PENANABYroaY54lt
He turned it over. "No name. No stamp. Just... your name. And this weird seal."16Please respect copyright.PENANAhyqI2T84Ge
"Mask," Elara said softly. "It's for the Midwinter Banquet. It was in my locker... yesterday."16Please respect copyright.PENANADhoLaTkukO
Jay sat up straighter. "That's... odd. Students usually don't send anonymous invites to school events, right?"16Please respect copyright.PENANA6lpiqyt40v
She shook her head.16Please respect copyright.PENANAoa5qSSIUwW
"Do you know who sent it?" he asked.16Please respect copyright.PENANAJr46JVKLz1
Elara shrugged. "No. That's what's bothering me."16Please respect copyright.PENANALZEZk7gzlq
"Well," Jay said, placing the envelope on the coffee table. "Do you want to go?"16Please respect copyright.PENANAOu70nSDzmf
That was the real question, wasn't it?16Please respect copyright.PENANA4qSsjjHa5p
"I don't know," she whispered. "It doesn't feel like an invitation. It feels like... a trap. Or a joke. Or maybe both."16Please respect copyright.PENANAgJTKJbBBh2
Jay looked at her for a long time, then stood and went to the kitchen. He returned with two mugs of tea and handed her one.16Please respect copyright.PENANApuxyf4sf9V
"Listen," he said, settling into the couch. "I know how it feels — thinking everyone's watching, waiting for you to trip."16Please respect copyright.PENANADDI0V6aBc1
Elara looked up.16Please respect copyright.PENANASc88xwTi42
"You remember when Mom and Dad died? Everyone thought I couldn't handle the company. I was twenty and drowning in paperwork and expectations. Every time I stepped into a boardroom, I knew they wanted to see me fail."16Please respect copyright.PENANAKXQ1EYLMu3
He sipped his tea.16Please respect copyright.PENANA92K4Fbxk8W
"But the only reason I made it was because I stopped waiting for their approval and started showing them why I didn't need it."16Please respect copyright.PENANAqrM4SRErHt
Elara lowered her gaze to the cup.16Please respect copyright.PENANAUiNSw1JzFs
"You're not them, El," Jay said gently. "And they're not you. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's this: You don't have to trust the invitation. You only have to trust yourself."16Please respect copyright.PENANAEQNluvCV0o
The warmth of the tea was the only thing anchoring her at that moment. The invitation sat on the table, daring her to respond.
Scene 2: Reverence Watt High School, afternoon16Please respect copyright.PENANAawkcrNukqP
Outside in the courtyard, the snow had thinned into soft flurries. Valen sat beneath the old stone fountain, his boots propped against the base. Eshon joined him silently, tossing a pebble across the icy surface.16Please respect copyright.PENANA8ykjAcyvr8
"She's going," Eshon said.16Please respect copyright.PENANAlxE8QIaJTy
Valen looked up.16Please respect copyright.PENANAMqh6EpYzDR
"Elara. Someone sent her an invitation."16Please respect copyright.PENANA6BjAUS8w0a
Valen didn't reply immediately. His face was unreadable.16Please respect copyright.PENANAUXqiBSD1kS
"You don't seem surprised," Eshon added.16Please respect copyright.PENANAOy2RvUNYsv
"I'm not," Valen said quietly. "I expected it."16Please respect copyright.PENANACn62xUGr8f
"You think she'll say yes?"16Please respect copyright.PENANAxysFQHjSVh
"She has to," Valen murmured, almost to himself. "This banquet isn't just a dance. It's where masks slip... and people finally see what's behind the glass."16Please respect copyright.PENANAWp52llaR20
Eshon frowned. "That sounds... ominous."16Please respect copyright.PENANAviszEIG4rc
Valen's gaze flicked to him. "It is."
Scene 3: Moira's bedroom16Please respect copyright.PENANADxgKVX5OaS
Lian sprawled across Moira's bed, scrolling through photos. Aria stood in front of the mirror, pinning her curls in preparation for the banquet.16Please respect copyright.PENANAVXUFCzFo27
"I heard Elara got an invite," Lian said, not looking up.16Please respect copyright.PENANA5tWR9fzWiZ
Moira didn't blink. She was examining a pair of earrings.16Please respect copyright.PENANAy9v3ZivvGM
"You don't seem shocked," Aria noted.16Please respect copyright.PENANAmS8SVRa1G4
Moira smiled coldly.16Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZEeb852qT
"Let her go. Let her dress up and pretend she belongs. We'll see how long the magic lasts."16Please respect copyright.PENANAnop1SS7S9f
"You don't think she'll pull it off?" Lianne asked.16Please respect copyright.PENANAo3mEJKM7pS
"No one pulls anything off at Reverence," Moira said. "Not unless they're willing to pay in blood."
Scene 4: Elara's bedroom, late evening16Please respect copyright.PENANAbElyR7eMMI
The invitation lay on her desk, beside her scattered schoolbooks and the notes she no longer had the energy to study.16Please respect copyright.PENANAPdXX7RFpH9
Jay knocked once and stepped inside.16Please respect copyright.PENANAC4pLtafrvU
"You know," he said, "you don't have to go just because someone invited you."16Please respect copyright.PENANAwvxQBYFskU
"I know," she whispered.16Please respect copyright.PENANA3EVTeIihJV
He placed a box in front of her — long and flat, wrapped in deep silver paper.16Please respect copyright.PENANASkv46BlIHk
"But if you do, wear this. It belonged to Mom."16Please respect copyright.PENANAp921pJCX33
She opened it and found a sleek, black, feathered mask with tiny silver accents along the trim. It shimmered faintly in the lamplight.16Please respect copyright.PENANAqqujZBpVqV
"You kept this?" she asked, touched.16Please respect copyright.PENANAOpPsrJz66Z
Jay smiled faintly. "Some things are worth keeping. Just like some people."16Please respect copyright.PENANA64h58T1g7N
Elara didn't answer. But when he left the room, she didn't close the box either.16Please respect copyright.PENANAuLhCIn9OEW
She just sat there, staring at the mask... and thinking about how strange it was — how one night could carry so many secrets beneath so many disguises.16Please respect copyright.PENANAm2F86S5o3f
And how maybe, just maybe, it was time for her to start hiding less.
Chapter 12: The Masquerade of First Sparks16Please respect copyright.PENANAwLEfAU2051
The snow had deepened overnight, cloaking the sidewalks in a soft white hush as Elara stared at her reflection in the hallway mirror. The mask in her hands—white porcelain trimmed with fading gold—still smelled faintly of lavender, and for a moment, she swore she could hear her mother's laughter echoing faintly in the distance.16Please respect copyright.PENANA60Gir19Yml
She swallowed hard.16Please respect copyright.PENANA07hZAKy6bl
Jay stood behind her, quietly adjusting the clasp of the dress. It wasn't a new gown, but it shimmered like starlight—simple, elegant, with a vintage waistline that hugged her softly.16Please respect copyright.PENANA3ewhDOBVLW
"You don't have to go," Jay reminded her gently, his voice low. "But if you do... go as yourself. Not for them. For you."16Please respect copyright.PENANAr5ojhMIC8h
Elara didn't reply. She looked once more in the mirror, fastened the mask over her face, and whispered, "Let's go."16Please respect copyright.PENANAwvg9bHbxSu
The banquet was already underway when she arrived.16Please respect copyright.PENANA1bijMONC0o
The West Wing's banquet hall had been transformed. Paper lanterns hovered above the high-vaulted ceiling, glowing with a soft blue hue. The marble floor reflected the chandeliers, casting shifting lights like stars underfoot. People twirled in elaborate gowns, masks glittering, voices buzzing in laughter and speculation.16Please respect copyright.PENANAEK9yoSLIAm
Moira spotted her first.16Please respect copyright.PENANAg9KizCBr3Y
Her gasp was audible even from across the hall. "No way. Is that her?" she hissed, jabbing Lian's arm.16Please respect copyright.PENANAWepj22rHXO
"Oh my God," Lian muttered, squinting. "She looks... different."16Please respect copyright.PENANArCCYCHVgBi
Aria tilted her head. "Like she doesn't belong. Yet somehow... she does."16Please respect copyright.PENANA9PNlbdEGYu
Moira crossed her arms, bitterness brewing. "She thinks a mask and a secondhand dress makes her someone? Just wait."16Please respect copyright.PENANAvFVHVqvqws
Elara ignored their stares as she stepped inside.16Please respect copyright.PENANACGoQUEJfmk
Her heart thundered, but she kept her spine straight. She had told herself she'd stay in the shadows, just watch. Maybe leave early. But the moment she walked past the fountain centerpiece, every conversation around her seemed to hush. It was as if the room had exhaled—and turned to stare.16Please respect copyright.PENANAfvK4qli5EP
And then she saw him.16Please respect copyright.PENANAfTOzxHwiyP
Kaeli.16Please respect copyright.PENANAKRt0mz36On
He wasn't dressed like the others. No velvet cloaks or overly-embellished suits. Just a midnight-black shirt with subtle gold embroidery, his mask silver and sharp like polished bone. He wasn't dancing. He was watching. Her.16Please respect copyright.PENANAhRi4zMwvrm
For a moment, neither of them moved.16Please respect copyright.PENANAIVWwi41KVp
Then, quietly, he started walking toward her.16Please respect copyright.PENANABzQTaLoD87
Elara's breath caught. Every step he took seemed to silence another corner of the room. She looked sideways, half-expecting him to stop, to veer toward someone else.16Please respect copyright.PENANAYAPtvb4e7t
He didn't.16Please respect copyright.PENANAKKeGYYM0hq
He stopped in front of her, extended a gloved hand.16Please respect copyright.PENANAOrbicrt6TT
"Dance with me."16Please respect copyright.PENANA3QQvLYdQqH
A hush.16Please respect copyright.PENANALA4ud01nl6
Moira nearly dropped her glass. "You've got to be kidding me."16Please respect copyright.PENANAjTlMMMZ5Az
Elara hesitated. They had barely spoken. A few words here and there. A nod in the hallway. The strange, weighty silences when their eyes met.16Please respect copyright.PENANA1qAnSfj5U5
But something about this moment—the music shifting to something slow, the lanterns flickering dimmer—felt fated.16Please respect copyright.PENANApIQgGAzy9I
She placed her hand in his.16Please respect copyright.PENANAEnVzBRCBvE
They moved slowly at first. Awkward. Hesitant. As if testing a rhythm neither had practiced.16Please respect copyright.PENANAAxQaEBMhxj
But with each passing beat, the air changed.16Please respect copyright.PENANAkiodrjaOI9
The world fell away.16Please respect copyright.PENANAc7cqISsqMY
The other dancers became shadows. The music blurred. It was only them now—Kaeli with his unreadable gaze, Elara with her guarded heart. Their movements began to sync, almost instinctively. He led without force. She followed without fear.16Please respect copyright.PENANAxKYzItaudn
He leaned in, voice low. "You surprised them."16Please respect copyright.PENANAYoXRXt7kmN
"Did I?"16Please respect copyright.PENANAfTeOE1GWPI
"You surprised me."16Please respect copyright.PENANAM1Y080R7Nl
She turned her face slightly toward his. "Good."16Please respect copyright.PENANAbSzOoD0XgQ
He chuckled under his breath, just once. A sound not many had heard from him.16Please respect copyright.PENANAphyGtJZovP
Around them, the whispers buzzed.16Please respect copyright.PENANAtHeeaUUVF8
Kaeli's dancing. With her. With the new girl.16Please respect copyright.PENANAnB63fV2J43
Isn't she the one, Moira—?16Please respect copyright.PENANAEi0V1Uvwj5
They actually look...16Please respect copyright.PENANACDiMAIS4eu
...good together.16Please respect copyright.PENANAXWCm7P7Meb
Elara's heartbeat quickened. She wanted to pull away, to flee. But Kaeli's grip tightened—not possessively, just grounding. Assuring.16Please respect copyright.PENANA87xud802nu
Then the music shifted again—slower, dreamier.16Please respect copyright.PENANA1plfAx8Npp
Kaeli stepped closer. "They think we don't notice them watching."16Please respect copyright.PENANAq4jFJbGhZi
"Do we care?"16Please respect copyright.PENANAtaCHvKLSRZ
He paused. His eyes softened. "Not tonight."16Please respect copyright.PENANAl3yLaBEBOO
He twirled her. Her skirt fanned out like smoke, and when she spun back into his arms, there was a different energy in the air. Not tension. Not defiance.16Please respect copyright.PENANAEZOZzRghdL
Something warmer.16Please respect copyright.PENANA3kGodysy8T
Something sparking.16Please respect copyright.PENANAo54Bo9PZ3u
Jay watched from the upper balcony, a small smile on his lips. He knew this was more than just a dance. It was a shift.16Please respect copyright.PENANAAiAwUn0sXI
From the crowd, Moira fumed, eyes narrowed. Her claws were ready, but tonight wasn't hers.16Please respect copyright.PENANAIYsZgmAhbF
And Elara—16Please respect copyright.PENANAaE8BOI0rgI
Elara forgot the rumors, the snide looks, the snow melting in her shoes.16Please respect copyright.PENANAOqnazhklLw
For a moment, she forgot everything.16Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ri8jlAfIp
She looked up at Kaeli, their masks nearly brushing.16Please respect copyright.PENANAEC23I8sTtg
And he whispered, so quietly only she could hear:16Please respect copyright.PENANAfmHgT8ibtK
"Maybe you belong here more than any of them."16Please respect copyright.PENANADZkmnZY4nB
She blinked.16Please respect copyright.PENANAdbBGBaZZ8D
Something cracked open inside her.16Please respect copyright.PENANApq86DbBrVo
And as the final note of the song echoed into silence, they stood still, staring at each other, the whole hall holding its breath.16Please respect copyright.PENANANCdlG9j7HP
Elara smiled. Not politely. Not nervously. Genuinely.16Please respect copyright.PENANA48dGWsPOpi
And Kaeli smiled back.16Please respect copyright.PENANAIG4PmFmPT2
Kaeli's hand stayed gently on the small of Elara's back as the next track swelled in the ballroom—slow, aching, ethereal.16Please respect copyright.PENANAlZSkNiGsZY
But before the two could move again, a strange flicker of light washed over them.16Please respect copyright.PENANASt61pfXzYI
Flick.16Please respect copyright.PENANAvg7wFW5AlQ
Flick-flick.16Please respect copyright.PENANA9mWdmLKryM
All around them, the chandeliers overhead began to dim. A confused hush swept through the hall.16Please respect copyright.PENANA3Z7epReSli
"Power issue?" someone murmured.16Please respect copyright.PENANAxdfKoidLiF
"No, the lights..." another voice whispered, "They're... changing."16Please respect copyright.PENANAq9AfzRZgr9
Elara turned.16Please respect copyright.PENANABw5jcTjTkt
Above them, each chandelier now glowed a different hue—deep crimson, icy blue, emerald, gold. Colors rippling like auroras over glass. Strange, unnatural.16Please respect copyright.PENANApp5RrCJAUt
And then—a soft melody began. Not the DJ's.16Please respect copyright.PENANAKuCVeR0fGd
An ancient, haunting tune, coming from the grand piano at the edge of the ballroom.16Please respect copyright.PENANA0aYDLJFD9F
But no one was playing it.16Please respect copyright.PENANAHcphXtoqvN
Kaeli tensed, his gaze narrowing. "What is this?"16Please respect copyright.PENANAZsU6QTqfgi
The room froze. No music from the speakers, no voices. Just the ghostly piano.16Please respect copyright.PENANAdQ2QctgIAY
Jay stood at the edge of the balcony, gripping the rail, his face unreadable.16Please respect copyright.PENANAmzW6DTWQVi
Then, the candles lining the hall all ignited at once, without anyone touching them.16Please respect copyright.PENANAm53oON0inp
Gasps echoed.16Please respect copyright.PENANAmpCoptbY0o
Elara's breath hitched. Her heart pounded.16Please respect copyright.PENANAG7VlNRj2yN
"Kaeli," she whispered, "I think we should leave—"16Please respect copyright.PENANA89yWj5JDEC
The grand piano let out one final note, long and dissonant—and then a mirror behind the stage shattered with a piercing crack! as if struck by nothing.16Please respect copyright.PENANAbIoWwwmLgT
Glass rained onto the floor like falling stars.16Please respect copyright.PENANAHtAA2pycZH
Silence.16Please respect copyright.PENANAG4BCC51kgq
Dead silence.16Please respect copyright.PENANAyByzvvexzF
And then—a soft, disembodied laugh.16Please respect copyright.PENANAhbUgbuHHnl
Not loud. Not human. But... familiar.16Please respect copyright.PENANAJOo72IiMfb
Everyone heard it, but no one could trace it.16Please respect copyright.PENANAUYuJv9Ui3l
Kaeli stepped forward, shielding Elara instinctively.16Please respect copyright.PENANAjthb0p69au
From the scattered mirror shards, a single one slid across the floor and landed at Elara's feet.16Please respect copyright.PENANAMEJJe9PSjw
She slowly picked it up.16Please respect copyright.PENANA6SleVKCG2a
A word was etched on it. Just one.16Please respect copyright.PENANAxyuZ4ZMSjL
Burned in black:16Please respect copyright.PENANA1T3JBPUbzc
"REMEMBER."16Please respect copyright.PENANAdcsHCJTdyP
The ballroom lights returned. The piano silenced. The candles faded out.16Please respect copyright.PENANAfr61iVqlLU
It was like nothing had happened.16Please respect copyright.PENANAj8geBBBF6w
Except... everyone had felt it.16Please respect copyright.PENANArlYU5kUHaB
Something ancient.16Please respect copyright.PENANA1bEecCwvyO
Something watching.16Please respect copyright.PENANAYBKQy76WZl
Something that had waited for Elara Veil to dance.
16Please respect copyright.PENANA2FAbXbfXK2