Chapter 36

No POV

The hall was dimly lit, the crystal chandeliers above casting fractured reflections on the polished marble floor. The scent of rosewater lingered faintly in the air.

He was already there.

Mirage stood in the far corner, half-hidden by a curtain of shadows, his presence unnoticed, - just as he intended.

She hadn't seen him.

Viona moved through the room like frost slipping beneath a closed door, untouched by the celebration humming faintly from the gardens outside. The ...