Chapter 68

Seris’s POV

“You picked black so you won’t be easily spotted by the vampires,” Saelis remarked as we made our way toward the long tables heaped with steaming dishes, platters of meats, bowls of salads, and trays of delicate pastries. I plucked a slice of chocolate cake with my fingers and popped it into my mouth, my eyes sweeping the room to find little Nessa playing among the other children.

Saelis dipped her own fork into the same cake I’d just nibbled and took a bite. “What are you talking about?” I asked, lips coated in chocolate, blinking up at her. “What vampires?”

She paused mid-chew, as if I’d been speaking a foreign language. “Ronan’s convinced that Varkhan plans to make a move tonight,” she explained, her voice low. “He’s doubled the guards and even sent threats to Varkhan’s pack—any funny business, and he’ll have their heads.” She glanced down at my black gown. “That’s why black was the perfect choice. You’d blend right into the shadows.”