ST

Azriel had always preferred the edges of a room. There was safety in shadows—not for himself, but for everyone else. From his place beside one of the towering marble columns, he could see nearly the entire ballroom without becoming part of it. Chandeliers glittered overhead, music drifted through the room, and beyond the open glass doors, Velaris shimmered beneath a cloudless night sky. Starfall had not yet begun, but the celebration certainly had.