Mirror of Embers (Book 1)

t h i r t y - t w o

One year earlier

I WAS PATIENTLY SITTING ON THE COUCH, WAITING FOR THE TWO LOSERS TO GET ME. I showered and got dressed. Kam told me that I could wear a burlap sack and look good, but I actually dressed nice, on the assumption that we were going somewhere fancy. I pulled out my white satin lace dress, it was a low cut and I paired it with some heels. I pulled my hair back from my face and left a couple of strands down to frame my face. It was at a knot at the nape of my neck. I was sitting on the settee with my back pressed to the cushion while reading my romance novel. My legs were crossed over one another as I attempted to focus on the book in my hand. But I couldn't seem to focus. Not when I was thinking about him.

What the hell happened today? Why did I kind of like it? He was acting like we were . . . together. When we weren't. We were nothing. The thought alone made me frown. That's exactly what we were, right? But he looked at me today like I meant something. That I could be something to him. Why? Why had he looked at me like that? Why had I liked it?

Ugh, it was pissing me off.

I closed my book and walked to my dresser, looking at the envelope Reighla had left for me while I was gone. She needed me to look for someone. Charles Ednul. I need to keep an eye on him－find him. She had a hunch he was going to be at a restaurant tonight. How very fortunate I was going to a restaurant tonight. Knowing Reighla, he was going to be at the place Kam and Landon were taking me to. She probably had tabs on me and made sure he was to attend tonight.

I tightened the strap around my thigh, the one concealing my dagger. I didn't need anything besides that. Especially with my Boundment. If he started anything, I'd obliterate him.

A rap sounded on the door to my suite. "Come in!" I called, straightening out the guard on my thigh. My dress covered the dagger nicely, I stared at myself in the mirror. It didn't show. The dagger was completely hidden from any untrained eyes.

Someone whistling had me looking over my shoulder. Landon was in the doorway, smirking at me. "You look great," He told me.

I smiled. I looked him over－he looked good, too. He was dressed in a dark grey suit, with a white tie knotted around his collar. He had on black dress shoes that seemed to gleam in the light. His hair was styled back, pushing his black hair out of his face. So I was right, we were going somewhere fancy. "So do you."

He threw a hand across his heart. "Stop! You'll make me swoon." He teased. I offered him a smile before making my way back to my dresser and grabbing two of my gold hoop earrings, I turned back to the mirror and placed them in my ears. I stared at Landon through the mirror, knitting my brows together.

"Where's Kam?" I asked, clasping my earring.

He sighed. "He's running a little late, he'll meet us at the restaurant."

I nodded, even though I was frowning on the inside. I shouldn't expect much. It's not like we were together, he had no obligations to me, and he was going to meet us there anyway.

I forced myself to smile and turned to Landon. He held out a hand to me, I strode over to him, taking his hand and letting him lead me out.

Heels were out of my element, I wore them when I had too but for the most part I avoided them at all costs.

I was extremely grateful for Landon's hand to stable me.

"The entire restaurant will be staring at you tonight," He told me, guiding me out of the suite and out the door. I let go of his hand to lock it and then took his arm instead, wrapping my hands around his forearm. "I'm already envious, I don't like sharing the spotlight. I prefer it when people are staring at me instead. It's going to be very upsetting."