Book 4: The Last Haze

Ingrid

Seven months later…

“Come dance.” Candace grins at me and holds out her hands.

“Do I have to?” I run my fingers up and down the stem of my goblet, wishing it was the neck of my lute, and look around at the glittering array of nobles packed into the half-constructed ballroom of the new Moonlight Tower, heart of the united Moonlight Beach.

The twins, Alden and Lucian, squirm in their parents’ arms, clearly no happier with their name-blessing party than I am. They’re only a few months old, and they look like mismatched cherubs in their long, ceremonial dresses. Alden inherited Finn’s hair and Xandra’s eyes, and Lucian the opposite. They might be the center of attention, but at least they don’t have to make small talk.

Candace smiles “There are people to meet.”

And a Haze coming in, which she doesn’t need to say. I can feel it prickling over my skin, even if I couldn’t see it through the open windows. Yet another reason not to