Page 9 of Every Shade of Shadow

I open my mouth, close it again. How can I possibly explain this?

Sabrina follows my gaze to the card. Her eyes widen. "What the fuck is that?"

So the card is real.

"An invitation." My voice sounds distant to my own ears. "To Lumina."

"Lumina?" Sab takes the card, scanning the text with a slight furrow between her brows. "It’s just a number. But what does 'enter in submission, leave in ecstasy' have to do with it?"

Heat floods my face. Of course she would notice that. Most of the enclave kids are bilingual before they’re out of diapers. "I don't know," I mutter. "The man who gave it to me didn't say. He was kind of aloof about it all."

"What man?" Sabrina's gaze darts around the room. "Where did he go? Did you see what he looked like under the mask?"

I shake my head. I can't tell her about the Wolf. Can't repeat the things he whispered to me or describe the way he looked at me, as if he could see right through to the darkest places inside me, those little-light coves I’d rather keep hidden.

"Annabelle." Sabrina studies my face, worry etched into her pretty features. "I don't like this. Lumina? You’ve heard the stories, right? Shadowcraft? It’s dangerous.”

And there’s the big ‘S’ Gran loved to bitch and rant on so much.

“So it exists?” I ask. “Lumina.”

Sabrina falters, pressing her lips together as she thumbs the card. “Apparently, but who knows, right?”

"Yeah, it's probably nothing, a joke." I force a smile, holding out my hand for the card.

She hesitates, before returning it with a frown. "Be careful, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I will." Guilt twists inside me at the lie. I hate lying, especially to Sab. But I can't give up this chance. Can't walk away from such an alluring temptation or the man who offered it.

Not yet.

“Enough of that, let’s dance,” Sabrina says, dragging me to the dance floor.

This is her thing. Every eye turns towards her—a snake, a leopard, a lion. They all want a piece of her as she gyrates and laughs, effortless.

I do my best, attract my own share of attention, but I can’t help keeping an eye out for the Wolf.

Just when I think I see him in the crowd, he’s gone, an apparition.

Like he never existed at all.

CHAPTER THREE

I tap Sabrina on the elbow, her eyes popping open. She stops dancing and turns. “Why, yes, sheepy sheep?”

“I’m going to the bathroom.”

I think she’s on her fourth or fifth champagne, dancing getting looser and the predators closing in from the perimeter of the dance floor.

I don’t want to leave her alone, but I really have to go.

“Fine, fine,” she waves in the air, champagne sloshing from her glass. “See you soooon,” she laughs.

I head off the dance floor, pushing myself between two men and finding the bathroom down the back.

I push through the heavy wooden doors, the loud chatter and music of the ball fading behind me. The room is dimly lit, shadows flickering across the marble countertops. A chandelier dangles from the ceiling, crystals tinkling with my entrance.

I walk to the sinks, gripping the stone.

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