THE BILLIONAIRE'S MASQUERADE

ined

in fog or storm, as if the sky it

of wet leaves clinging to her clothes. Her fingers traced the strange symbol on th

t a logo. It

arked page, her eyes l

themselves fully. Mind

ed the bo

dness," she

s is tra

ed up an

a in one hand, mask in place, but his shar

earing out of nowher

he replied. "Well, you're interrupting." "I do that, too." He

all the desperate scholarship students

or the first time, he didn't smirk. Didn't

ou're not

yet," he said. "But you're angry. You're grieving. And y

ehind the mask. "And I know the look of s

cien's voice dropped. "Your mother's death. The fire. The letter.

is coat billow

tomorrow night." "Wait Lucien!" He stopped, without turning. "If you want the trut

ng at the cracked ceiling, her mind racing. How did Lu

house fire and a closed case file. Wha

the room, Evie tossed and turned. Moo

ucien's cryptic warning. But something held her back. Trust

ght – The G

aring at a wall of mirrored panels. Her finger

pu

passage

he domed ceiling. Books lined the curved walls, and hundreds of candl

ood at th

k g

breath

's memory burned into his skin. But his face... it was heartbreaking

the mask," s

or me," he said. "

d forward, sl

Lucien replied. "A little burn makes them forget y

t her

hat power

nning her fingers along the spines.

n nod

up of students standing in front of Blackthorn's origina

art st

her m

. Young

his?" she

Circle," Lucien said. "Yo

he never

f the Circle are sealed in blood. She

ed behind

ed in a

ook her head. "Why are you telling me this now?

. you'll lose." The air between them grew heavier. C

brushed a loose strand

olved," he whispered. "But

rt thun

in, slow,

rom the wall. A book flew off the shelf. And a second la

y tense. "Stay behind me," he ordered.

e was

e watc

ence. A s

a vo

htened around Aria's wrist. A figure stepped into the dim candlelight-dressed in a n

n Blac

former be

rent ni

e way his eyes sw

west p