Chapter 22 Crimson Shadows

Elena's fingers curled tighter around the stem of her wine glass. Across the room, Raul's smirk deepened, his eyes like obsidian-dark, reflective, unreadable. Her pulse drummed in her ears, louder than the hum of foreign voices or the soft clink of gold being exchanged in shadowed corners.

Alessandro caught her eye from near the bidding floor. He