Chapter 39

Elara

The tension in the car was almost unbearable at first. Once Alaric helped me in, I sat there stiffly, hardly even hearing Zoe and Ella’s excited chatter. Alaric circled the car and climbed in on his side without a word.

As the car pulled out of the driveway, the tension was even worse. If it weren’t for the girls and their constant banter, it would have been dead silent.

I couldn’t blame Alaric for his coldness, though. Not after last night. The memory of it was still fresh and mortifying, replaying in my mind like a bad dream I couldn’t seem to shake. I had touched his body, I had kissed his cheeks, I had said things I never would have dared to if I hadn’t been drowning in wine.

My hands twisted in my lap, my eyes fixed on the city lights blurring past. I felt like a fool. A complete and utter fool who was definitely not fit to be a Luna, even just for the next six months.

“Mommy, look! There’s a fountain!” Zoe’s excited voice suddenly broke through my spiraling thoughts, and I turned to see her pointing out the window with her face pressed up against the glass.

Sure enough, we were pulling up to the venue. A long line of expensive sports cars and limousines was waiting to pull up the long driveway, at the front of which was an enormous marble fountain complete with cherub sculptures.

“It’s so big,” Ella breathed, her eyes turning as wide as saucers. She turned to me. “Do you think they’ll have desserts there, Mommy? Fancy ones?”

Their enthusiasm was infectious. I couldn’t help but smile. “I bet they will,” I replied, feeling some of the tension slip from my shoulders. “Maybe they’ll even have chocolate fountains.”

Zoe gasped dramatically. “A chocolate fountain? Like in the movies?”

“Exactly like in the movies,” I said, grinning.

As the girls continued to chatter excitedly about chocolate and cakes, I risked a glance over at Alaric. He remained silent, staring out the window. The sight made my stomach twist a little.

By the time it was our turn to pull through the large front gates of the venue, the girls were practically dying to get out. My embarrassment and self-pity were still there, lurking in the background, but the knot in my chest had eased ever so slightly thanks to the sound of their laughter.

Alaric stepped out first, offering his hand to help Zoe and Ella down. His touch was gentle with them, and for a fleeting moment, I wondered if he could ever be that way with me, especially after last night.

The thought disappeared as quickly as it came, replaced by awe as I took in the building. It was a towering masterpiece of marble and glass, the grand entrance flanked by golden pillars that shimmered under the lights. Well-dressed patrons milled about, their laughter and conversation filling the air.

“Stay close to me,” Alaric said curtly, his hand resting lightly on Zoe’s shoulder. He didn’t glance my way, but I knew he was talking to all of us.

Inside, the gala was even more breathtaking. Crystal chandeliers cast a golden glow over the room, illuminating the polished floors and lavish decorations. Tables lined the walls, displaying artifacts and treasures up for auction.

Each item seemed extremely rare and expensive—there was an antique clock in one glass case, a bejeweled brooch in another, and a painting in one that looked like it belonged in a museum.

“Mommy, look at this!” Zoe tugged at my hand, dragging me toward a table that held a small porcelain figurine of a dancing couple. “Aren’t they pretty?”

Ella’s eyes widened. “It looks like you and Daddy!”

My heart stuttered a little, and I glanced over at Alaric again, expecting him to put on some brooding scowl or another. But to my surprise, he just smiled ever so slightly and nodded, ruffling Ella’s hair. “It does, sweetheart.”

As he turned to lead us toward the food area, I knit my brows together, wondering how it was possible that he could flip a switch from aloof and angry to kind and fatherly at the drop of a hat like that.

I told myself that it was just because we were in public now, and anyone could be watching us, which meant that we had to put up a good front.

And for that reason, I looped my arm through his as we walked, even if I felt his muscles stiffen beneath my touch.

As we began to mill around the venue, chatting with various guests, admiring the artifacts, and nibbling on treats, the girls’ excitement and the energy in the place was contagious. For a while, I even forgot about Alaric’s indifference and the awkwardness of last night. I even caught myself laughing as Zoe tried to mimic the pose of one of the statues for sale.

But as the night went on, a strange feeling crept over me. It started as a faint prickle at the back of my neck, like I was being watched. I brushed it off at first, chalking it up to the grandeur of the event and the sheer number of people in the room. But the feeling didn’t go away.

If anything, it grew stronger.

I found myself glancing over my shoulder more than once, scanning the crowd for anything out of the ordinary. Each time, I saw nothing unusual—just elegantly dressed guests chatting and laughing with glasses of champagne in hand.

Still, the unease lingered. At one point, I thought I saw a man standing near the back of the room, his face obscured by the shadow of his brimmed hat.

Somehow, even though I couldn’t see his eyes, his gaze seemed to bore into me and sent a shiver down my spine. But when I blinked, he was gone, as if he had never been there at all.

“Mommy, catch me!” Zoe’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She darted past me, her laughter echoing through the room as she weaved between the guests.

“Zoe, wait!” I called, reaching out to grab her hand, but she was too quick. My heart leapt into my throat as I saw her bump into a table holding an expensive-looking vase.

Time seemed to slow as the vase teetered dangerously on the edge. At the same time, Zoe was about to collide with an elegantly dressed woman holding a glass of red wine.

My stomach dropped as I recognized the woman—a high-profile politician whose name I couldn’t quite place at the moment, but I knew she was important. And I knew she’d be pissed if that white dress got ruined.

“Zoe, stop!” I shouted, but she didn’t hear me, too hopped up on sugar from the buffet to notice what she was about to do.

Without thinking, I lunged forward, adrenaline propelling me. My arms wrapped around Zoe just as the vase tipped over, and just before she collided with the woman.

We hit the floor with a thud, Zoe squealing in surprise as we landed in a tangled heap. The vase wobbled precariously on the edge of the table, and then it came crashing down.

Somehow, I managed to catch the vase in my free hand at the last second, my arm fully extended.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Then I realized that it wasn’t just in my head—the entire room had gone quiet, every eye turned toward us as we lay there on the floor.