Page 119 of Our Radiant Embers

“I suppose that’s true.” Eleanor’s voice told me she wasn’t a fan. Now there was a surprise—not. Many of the most powerful families still longed for the good old days when they’d been free to do as they pleased. “Now, I should get going. Adam.” She bestowed a nod upon him, then turned to me with a slight arch of her eyebrows. “Liam, always a pleasure.”

“It’s all mine, I assure you.”

Adam and I watched her stride off as though it was a red carpet rather than a construction site, people dashing out of her way.

“A pleasure?” Adam echoed wryly, mouth curving up on one side.

“She is formidable, I’ll give her that.” I tossed him a smile. “No match for Archer Summers, though.”

“You’ve got a weirdly sweet crush on her.”

“She’s an advocate of the little people like me.”

The other side of Adam’s mouth tugged up too. “You’re hardly little.”

“Such flattery.” I fanned some air at myself. “Now, anyway—let’s get this party started.”

Adam pursed his mouth. “There’s a song about that, isn’t there?”

“More than one, I’m sure.”

“I mean the one by Max Fina. Something about grabbing a drink to look like you belong, dance floor’s a battlefield.”

I hit an invisible buzzer. “Cocktail Camouflage.”

“That’s the one.” Adam’s expression twisted into something halfway between rueful and amused, the grey-tinged sky making his hair appear even darker than usual. “You know, when I was younger, I used to listen to music when I did my whole…wrecking ball impersonation.”

“You did?” I could see it—teenage Adam with a chip on his shoulder and enough angst to rival a Shakespearean tragedy. “Like…what’s that Velvet Haze song—Light It All Up?”

“Cinders of a Faded Anthem. And yes, exactly like that.” His laugh curled like translucent smoke. “I was a proper git.”

I feigned surprise. “Past tense?”

“Please, you think I’m awesome.”

“I kind of do,” I said, perhaps more honest than I should be. It was worth it for the way his expression brightened, the curve of his mouth softening into something almost shy as he met my eyes.

We weren’t alone—workers moving around us, the contractor talking loudly on his phone, and security cameras covering every inch of the area. I almost reached out anyway, stopped myself at the last second, and tugged on the hem of my T-shirt instead.

Adam’s chin dipped down as he glanced away.

* * *

‘Looking forward to seeing you all sleek and perfect and untouchable in one of your designer suits.’

For once, it wasn’t a note I hid in some random place for Adam to find but something I typed out on my phone while I got dressed for the gala. I’d be wearing a new suit I’d bought after he’d hassled me for days because apparently, it wasn’t enough to be a Sun—I needed to look the part, too.

‘You’ll like this one,’ he replied. ‘I only got it so you can take it off me later.’

I fought to wipe a stupid grin off my face and didn’t succeed. ‘Then I’m looking forward to that even more.’

‘Same.’ It took a minute, then he followed it up with another message. ‘How long do we have to stay before you take me home?’

‘You’re the expert. But I’m pretty sure the answer is: too long.’

‘Sounds about right.’ Three little dots signalled that he was still typing. Then they disappeared. I waited for a minute, and when nothing else came, I finished getting dressed and went to collect Laurie.

Time to swim with some rich and beautiful sharks.

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