第3章

Below the photo came a voice message.

"Aria, Jason said this anklet really complements my skin tone.

"He even knelt down and put it on me himself.

"He promised to make me his date for the gala tonight, so why don't you just stay home and think about what you've done."

I stared at the bracelet on the screen.

How could a sacred artifact of the Elves end up on a human's ankle?

It was the only medium through which the life bond could be dissolved. I had to get it back.

I walked to the window and looked down from the third floor.

An Elven body was far stronger than a human one, but the backlash from the bond's dissolution had already begun.

A dull ache throbbed in my chest, as though a thousand needles were piercing it.

I pushed the window open and swung down the drainpipe with practiced ease.

A jolt of pain shot through my knees on landing.

I ignored it and hailed a cab straight to the hotel.

The banquet hall blazed with light, filled with well-dressed guests.

Jason's mother, Patricia Calloway, beamed as she accepted the guests' congratulations.

Jason stood beside her, champagne in hand, looking every bit the golden heir.

And Vivian was right there, her arm linked intimately through Patricia's.

She wore a purple evening gown.

The very one Jason had promised to have custom-made for my birthday three months ago.

Now that dress was on Vivian.

I pushed open the doors of the banquet hall.

The chatter died for an instant.

Jason saw me, and his face turned livid.

He strode over and seized my arm.

"I told you to wait at home! Who said you could come here on your own?"

I shook his hand off and stared past him at Vivian, who was shrinking behind his back.

"Give me back my bracelet."

Vivian cowered further behind Jason, playing the startled fawn.

"Aria, what are you talking about? I don't understand."

Jason shielded Vivian behind him, glaring at me as if I were some deranged troublemaker.

"It's just a bracelet. Are you really going to ruin the party for everyone?

"Vivian said it was pretty, so I let her borrow it for a few days. What's the big deal?

"Can you try being generous for once? Stop clinging to every little thing like a miser!"

Whispers rippled through the crowd, fingers pointing my way.

Patricia marched over, her face tight with disapproval.

"Aria, you have no sense of propriety.

"We watched Vivian grow up. She's practically a daughter to us. It's one bracelet. Do you really think this is appropriate?"

Vivian's eyes glistened right on schedule, tears pooling at the rims.

She walked toward me, red wine in hand.

"Patricia, Jason, don't blame Aria.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have borrowed her things. I didn't mean to upset her this much..."

Before she could finish, her ankle twisted beneath her.

She pitched straight toward me.

The full glass of red wine in her hand splashed with perfect aim across my chest.

Dark red wine soaked through my white blouse in an instant, a humiliating mess.

"Ah! Aria, why did you push me?"

Vivian crumpled to the floor on cue, clutching her ankle and crying out in pain, tears streaming down her face.

Jason's eyes went red. He lunged forward and shoved me hard.

"Are you insane? You actually laid a hand on her, here of all places!"

I wasn't braced for it. My back slammed into the champagne tower behind me.

Crash!

The sound of shattering glass rang through the entire banquet hall.

Jagged shards sliced my arms and back.

Blood mingled with red wine and dripped onto the white marble floor, a shocking sight.

Jason didn't spare me a glance.

He crouched beside Vivian, checking her ankle with frantic tenderness.

"Vivian, are you okay? Did you twist it?"

Vivian nestled against him, sobbing and shaking her head.

But over Jason's shoulder, her eyes found mine, bright with triumph.

My blood dripped to the floor.

Its scent spread through the air.

The Silver Leaf bracelet, sitting quietly on Vivian's ankle, sensed its master's blood.

In the next instant, the silver vine came alive.

It constricted violently, biting into Vivian's flesh.