#Chapter 51: The Announcement

Elara Mason’s eyes locked onto mine before I had a chance to slip away. When he looked at me, I froze. The faint hum of conversation around me faded to a dull roar in the back of my mind, and every instinct screamed at me to turn around, to get away. But I couldn’t move. I felt as frozen as a deer in headlights. As Mason began moving toward me, his expression was nothing short of thunderous. I’d seen that look of fury before—most recently when he had attacked me in my apartment. The moment I saw that look, I knew that this was heading into dangerous territory. Only then did I finally begin to move. I forced myself to breathe as best I could and keep my steps even so as not to cause a scene as I quickly turned away and slipped into the crowd, weaving between the other guests. I searched for Alaric’s broad shoulders amidst the crowd, but I couldn’t spot him. I should have stayed with him, I thought bitterly as I hurried through the crowd. But then ag