Page 106 of Whispers in the Dark
“Very odd.” Vin scratches his chin. “Well, I’m sure wherever he is…” He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. “He got what he deserved. They all always do.”
Garrett’s eyes narrow in on Vin before he casts one final glimpse around the table, his hand suddenly pressing to his stomach. His face grimaces, discomfort flashing through his carefully maintained composure. “Well,” he says firmly, “I should make my rounds. As always, it’s been a pleasure.”
Vin lifts his glass, unimpressed. “Has it?”
Garrett scowls, then turns and strides toward the back of the room.
Vin takes a satisfied sip of his drink. “Guess the laxative finally kicked in.” Laughter ripples around the table.
“I really hate that guy,” Madeleine murmurs. “Why can’t you guys just kill him?” She directs her question at Vin, brows raised as she awaits his answer.
His gaze is on Alex, the two of them holding a silent conversation, before moving to Madeleine. “We don’t get involved with politics. Too messy.” A server appears with our first course of the night, placing plates before us. “But I suppose never say never.”
After the third course, performers begin filtering into the room, drifting from table to table in a swirl of colors and movement.
The room grows louder, laughter overlapping laughter, voices rising as the air grows thick and warm with too many bodies packed too closely together. The walls seem to inch inward. A familiar tightness creeps up my spine, my chest constricting as I tug at my collar and discreetly loosen the top button. My heart starts to pound as I brace for the panic I know all too well.
“Hey.” Alina places her palm against my cheek. “Everything okay?”
I close my eyes, leaning into her touch. The chaos fades instantly, like someone turned the volume down on the world. When I open them again, she’s looking at me with those wide brown eyes.
I lift my hand and cup her cheek in return, my thumb brushing gently over her skin as I take her in, noticing details I’ve memorized without realizing it, like the faint freckles scattered across her nose.
For a moment, it’s just us.
“Ahhh, I see many stories at this table.” My gaze shifts to the right. An older woman stands behind Vin, draped in layers of shimmering gold fabric that catch the light with every subtle movement. Without waiting for an invitation, she lowers herself into the empty seat beside him, settling in as if she belongs there. “I am Madame Elisia, and I see all.”
Vin scoffs, unimpressed. “You don’t say?”
One perfectly sculpted brow arches. “Hold out your hand.”
He glances at me, skepticism written all over his face. I shrug. We’ve got time to kill before the auction starts. Might as well enjoy the show.
Hesitantly, he offers his hand, which she eagerly accepts. Her index finger traces along the lines of his palm. “Interesting,” she murmurs.
“Is he dying?” Madeleine blurts, perched on the edge of her seat as she chews on her thumbnail.
Madame Elisia shakes her head slowly. “No. You see this line here.” She taps his palm lightly. “It suggests a long life. But this line…” Her finger slides across a deep crease running straight through the center of his palm. Her gaze lifts, sharp and assessing, locking onto his.
“What?” he asks, alert as he sits up.
“I see two women in your life.”
A smug grin spreads across his face as he leans back. “Now we’re talking.”
“One,” she continues, “is a queen. The other is fire.”
Scarlett tilts her head. “What does that mean?”
“It means I have a threesome in my near future,” Vin quips.
Mother whacks his arm, shaking her head. “God, help me.”
The woman drops Vin’s hand. “We don’t see the whole picture, only parts of it. Sometimes the images make perfect sense, and other times, they leave us seeking more answers than we are given.”
“No disrespect,” Alex remarks, “but doesn’t that seem like a…”
“Scam?” she says to him with a shrug. “You can choose to believe or not. I don’t force my visions onto you.” She holds her hand out and motions for Alex to give her his. He taps a finger on the table in front of him, weighing his options, before giving in to the temptation of knowing one’s fate. With a keen eye, the woman inspects every line on his hand before suddenly positioning her index finger in the center of his palm. A smile spreads over her face. “Your life is about to become very messy. Some might even say chaotic.”
