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Prologue: Avenay

8 years ago

Avenay stood in the over hot room, beads of sweat rolling down her back. The dancing bodies mingled with the summer heat, making the air sticky and dense. She tapped her feet to the jaunty tune and hummed along with the notes of the harp. She’d never been one for dances and large social situations, but the head Archangel of Lesern, Lord Ilu, had invited them personally and she didn’t want to let her father’s friend down. He’d become such an integral part of their life since her mother passed that she often forgot he wasn’t family.

Ilu looked her way and smiled, making his way through the crowds to her. His long, sandy brown hair fell in a straight sheet around his pale shoulders, bobbing with each step, his gray feathered wings fanning out proudly behind him.

“You look bored,” he said, taking a sip of punch and finding a space against the wall.

She gave a pained smile. “I’m not one for dancing.”

He chuckled. “No, I suppose not. It’s a shame, though. Seraphina swears you’re the best in the family.”

Avenay rolled her eyes. “She exaggerates.” Her sister always sang her praises the loudest, even when Avenay disagreed with the assessment. Still, something like pride bloomed in her chest. Avenay had a sneaking suspicion she was light on her feet, but she was rarely asked to dance and the thought of initiating filled her with panic.

She’d determined that this time she would find the courage to ask a female. Having just turned sixteen, this was her first official ball. She’d been to casual dances plenty of times, but nothing so grand as this. She’d prepared herself nicely for it, but that was before she’d entered the ballroom and all thoughts of that fled when a pair of verdant eyes met hers from across the room.

As Enid had entered the ballroom, her cool gaze slid to Avenay. Her expression changed as their eyes met and Avenay suddenly couldn’t breathe. The world felt like golden light and cool shadows inside her. It felt as if a rope pulled her towards the demon.

Then Ilu greeted the demons, and Avenay had spent the rest of the night looking at Enid, hoping to get her attention. But Enid didn’t look at her again. Instead, she stood moodily as her brother, Dryston, rubbed elbows with others who regarded him with barely veiled hostility. Her brother addressed Enid a few times, her eyes flashing in anger and his pursed lips telling a story of their own.

Avenay had heard about demons plenty of times before. She’d even seen sketches of them in the papers. It hadn’t been too long ago that they were all anyone could talk about because of the Cruel Lord of Shadows’ occupation of Nemus.

But she’d never seen one in the flesh, and it was an entirely different experience. She’d heard of the demonic thrall. They could entrance others to do their bidding, falling prey to their charms and calling it love. She’d always thought it a fanciful fairy tale.

Until that moment.

Enid Erebus leaned casually against a wall next to her brother, the newly appointed Lord of Shadows, arms crossed. Her black dress fell tothe ground, the jewelry glittering silver likes stars, as she looked around the room with the cool familiarity of someone whose presence was always desired. Even though her dark, leathery wings and black attire were in stark contrast to the symphony of pastels and whites in the room, she somehow looked as if she belonged there more than anyone.

Ilu gave Avenay a nudge with his elbow, yanking her attention away from the demons. “You haven’t stopped looking at that girl all evening.”

Avenay’s cheeks flamed, and she shot him a glare, which only resulted in him laughing.

“Maybe you should ask her to dance.”

Avenay crossed her arms. She wanted to ask Enid to dance, but she was certain she’d say no. Enid was the type of girl that would barely notice Avenay with her shy and quiet nature. She was used to feeling on the outside, always standing at the edge of the room, watching everyone else dance and take part. Enid was the pull that made all attention revolve around her regardless of what she did.

Another archangel came up and grabbed Ilu to meet more people of import. She sighed in relief as he walked away. Any courage she’d saved up to ask for a dance dissipated.

Enid looked out the window to the balcony, chewing her lower lip. Then, suddenly, she disappeared. Avenay gasped, but no one else seemed to see it. She looked around wildly and noticed the air shimmering towards the balcony.

Avenay couldn’t find her courage to ask for a dance, but she certainly couldn’t back down when something needed investigating. Slipping through the crowd, she followed the mirage out, focusing until more of Enid took shape. Was she performing a shadow shroud? Avenay had only heard rumors of it before, the technique unique to the Realm of Wind and difficult to master.

As she came to the balcony, the glimmer fell away and Enid appeared again, leaning on the balcony, staring out at the stars as the wind whipped her wavy black hair around gray horns. Enid pulled out a pipe, stuffing it with leaf, then lit it. The smell wafted in the breeze, sweet and musky.

She shifted on her feet, uncertain. The mystery had been solved. It was Enid and probably a shadow shroud—which was impressive—so she could turn around and go back inside. To stand by the wall and watchas others danced and talked while she held a drink.

Enid looked up, exhaling a ring of smoke, the gray puff framing her face in a way that made Avenay want to run a hand along her cheek.

Enid’s lips snaked into a smile, a dazzling one full of mischief and camaraderie. “Want to join me?”

Avenay’s feet carried her next to the demon before her mind or mouth could form a response. Enid handed her the pipe, and her fingers grasped the smooth wood as she looked at it tentatively. She’d never smoked anything in her life, and she had a suspicion this was something stronger than the tobacco her father usually indulged in.

Enid gave her a curious look, and she swallowed. The last thing she wanted was to expose herself as naïve and unworldly. She took the pipe, noting the taste of charcoal and sweetness before inhaling deeply.

Too deeply. Too fast.

She sputtered, leaning over and coughing up her lungs.