The Revelation of Light and Dark (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 1)

Looking down at the empty martini glass in my hand, he asks, “Want another?”

I shake my head, fortuitously catching the attention of a passing waiter so I can deposit my empty with him. Looking back to Carrick, I ask, “What are you doing here? I thought you had a conflict.”

“It got resolved,” he replies glibly, scanning the room before his eyes come back to me. “Besides… I heard Blain Stratherton throws a hell of a party.”

I roll my eyes.

“But happy birthday, Finley,” he says, and I jerk over what might be the tiniest sliver of fondness in his voice. There’s maybe even a tad bit of warmth in his eyes. They seem to be a mellow golden color tonight, and I’m horrified to realize I could get lost in them if I let myself.

“If I could have everyone’s attention,” Blain says from across the room where he stands just before the patio doors that lead outside, holding a glass of champagne in his hand. Fallon is standing by his side, hands clasped before her and smiling at the crowd. It’s clear Blain’s getting ready to give a speech.

The chatter dies down and the minglers start to coalesce, moving in closer to hear him better.

I don’t move and neither does Carrick. I have no desire to have a spotlight on me, but I am grateful Blain’s talking, so I don’t get inadvertently hypnotized by Carrick’s eyes.

“Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight,” Blain’s voice booms as he beams over the crowd, who I’m sure he feels is adoring and envious of him in a million different ways, which makes him feel good. Fairly sure that means he has a tiny dick, but whatever. “Tonight, we are here to celebrate my beautiful fiancée’s 28th birthday, and—”

Fallon reaches out, touches his arm, and says something. Blain doesn’t look chagrined at all. Instead, he corrects himself with good humor. “And, as she reminded me, her equally lovely twin, Finley. Where is Finley?”

People turn their heads, and I raise my arm from the back. Blain doesn’t see me and doesn’t even attempt to look very hard, so he merely continues. “Well, I’m sure she’s somewhere here in the crowd.”

“Your soon-to-be brother-in-law is kind of a douche,” Carrick mutters, and I gape at him in surprise. It’s such an uncommon thing for Carrick to do… far beneath him to engage in such petty little statements.

He doesn’t return my look, merely watches Blain prattle on about himself rather than Fallon. Blain talks about how he wanted to throw a party that would outshine all other parties and he felt he succeeded, and he hoped everyone was enjoying the fine food, expensive liquor, and—

I tune him out. Everything is always about him.

My gaze moves to Fallon, who doesn’t seem to be listening to her fiancé either. Instead, my brows knit together when I see her bring her fingertips to her temple and give a gentle rub to assuage what I’m guessing is a headache.

Blain must say something particular to Fallon as he snakes an arm around her waist and pulls her in tight. Grimacing as if the movement caused pain, she looks like she wants to pull away, but, for decorum’s sake, she puts on a smile I recognize as being patently fake and forced.

“This woman, as many of you know, is truly the light of my life,” Blain says, putting the focus where it should be, and his genuinely sweet tone causes my eyes to snap over to him. He never says things like that about Fallon, at least not to other people. And to do it publicly like this actually causes me to have the tiniest bit of respect for him.

I would have expected this to cause true happiness to light on Fallon’s face because even though I don’t understand it, she adores Blain beyond imagination. Instead, she looks ill at ease, the forced smile starting to slip. Again, she rubs at her temple and grits her teeth while Blain is completely oblivious and so is the crowd, as they’re all transfixed on his birthday speech.

My sisterly instinct kicks in and I take a step forward, perhaps intending to move closer in case she’s sick, or maybe because I should be by her side since it’s our shared birthday, but whatever the reason, my step falters when I get a doomful feeling so intense and painful I double over from it.

My small cry of surprise has Carrick bending over to peer at my face. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head, straightening up while crossing both arms over my belly. My chest heaves as if I can’t get enough oxygen. “I don’t know… it’s just… something really dark is in here.”

My gaze moves over the room, trying to pinpoint the direction it’s coming from, but it seems to have permeated the very air I’m breathing. Carrick does the same, murmuring, “I don’t see anyone.”