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CHAPTER 1

At night, in the dark, were the only tio away

The screams, the sh, when I didn’t understand yet, and the second one, when I did Her bloodied face People falling all aroundon their own blood because of mine

In waking hours—like now— different with them

The guy I atching across the party was short, with dark hair, wearing a tuxedo I could only see his back as heout over the twinkling lights of Jerusalem

“Kuklachka,” Stellan said in my ear

I squinted Now that he was closer, I could tell the guy’s hair was curlier than I’d thought Longer He finally turned around, taking a sip of his chane It wasn’t Cole Saxon None of thelad If the Saxons actually showed up here, it would ood

I turned to Stellan “What?”

He rested a hand possessively on o skinny-dipping in the fountain Liven up this party a little” I stared up at hihed “I asked if you’d happened to see the Rajesh fa to Elodie”

I should have s to do: loosen irl in a cocktail dress at a party should Buton its own So I rearranged my features in a way that I hoped from the outside looked more pleasant and less robotic than it felt “No I don’t think they’re here yet Maybe we should start with someone else”

He didn’t even attempt a fake smile back

A firework burst, loud enough to shake the ground Nearby, next to the very fountain Stellan had been trying to joke about, Jack and Elodie both glanced up at the sky Elodie leaned in to whisper to Jack, and she winced al, which meant she was still at half capacity She hated it But she was here tonight, for us Just like she was every day For the past month, she and Jack had been with Stellan and ht, they were here as our Keepers

This party was a celebration, and ere the guests of honor Tomorroere to be initiated as the thirteenth family of the Circle of Twelve