Chapter 57

Perrin

The lobby was packed with people.

I held Lo’s hand gently in mind as I wound our way past the hotel guests, snaking through the crowd that seemed to be taking a break from the ballroom and dancing.

“Seriously, why are there so many people?” I muttered, gently tugging Lo behind me. The last place I wanted to be was surrounded by so many people; inundated by so many scents that weren’t her.

“Leila?”

I stopped dead, but Lo apparently didn’t want to have anything to do with her mother, pulling up to my side and then ahead of me, yanking my hand. How they got out here; away from the dancing so quickly was beyond me.

“Leila!” We weren’t moving fast enough. I watched Lo’s shoulders slump as she turend to face her mother. Salindra’s arm was looped through Nael’s arm.

Lo tensed, the passion that had lit a fire in her eyes just moments before now extinguished to a dull simmer. “Hello, mother.”

Salindra walked forward and grabbed Lo’s shoulders with her hands, gently kissing each of he