raise my glass and pretend to toast him as Kyra and Maz whirl past, lost in each other. “They look good together, don’t they?”
Ryker snickers. “You’re generous. Maz looks like an octopus next to Kyra.”
“He’s never been graceful, has he?”
“Again, you’re being too kind.” Ryker takes long sip from the bottle. When he’s done, he tops off my glass. “How are you? Kyra said you were out of it for a few days.”
“I heard the same thing.” My memories of my first days here are hazy at best.
“You don’t know?”
“Not really. But the healers say that it’s normal for someone who’s been through what I have to lose track of time.”
Someone calls my name and I whip my head in their direction, only to have the room sway around me. I stagger into Ryker and he catches me by the elbow. My bare skin burns where his clothed arm touches me.
“Careful, Lark,” he says in a gravelly voice. “You don’t want everyone to think you’re drunk.”
I rest a hand against the wall to steady myself. “I am drunk.”
He squints at me. “How much have you had?”
“A few glasses.” I point to his bottle. “And whatever you’ve poured me.”
“Fantastic.” He glances over my shoulder and his face contorts.
“What?” I ask, following his eyes. My brother, Callum, stands on the other side of a long table laden with desserts. He’s glaring at us. No. He’s glaring at me. I try my best not to look intoxicated, because really, all I need is Callum running off to tattle on me. If Mother finds out, she’ll probably confine me to my room again and slap the restraint back on.
Ryker and I reposition ourselves so that we’re standing side-by-side, not touching. I keep my eyes on the dance floor and pretend my brother isn’t shooting withering looks at me.
A white light strobes off to my left and I instinctively shield my eyes.
“Lark! Who’s your escort?” a voice booms from a camera floating over my head.
“Damn it,” I whisper. Of course, the newscasters waited until I was in an awkward situation to zero in on me.
“I’m sorry. Should have seen that.” Ryker maneuvers me so my back is to the room and I’m facing the wall. He keeps his hand around my waist, holding me up. It’s not exactly proper, but it’s better than me stumbling forward when my movements are being broadcasted live.
“Stupid gossip feeds,” I mutter. “Why do people like them so much?”
“Because their lives are boring?” Ryker leans closer to me. The heat of his breath strikes the side of my cheek and I inhale sharply. “Maybe if you pretend to be lost in conversation with me, no one will notice how drunk you are.”
I groan. He’s right. My only option is to pretend to be enthralled by Ryker. Which means we’ll be all over Kyra’s gossip feeds tomorrow. But at least it will look like I’ve moved on from Beck, and Mother can’t find fault with that.
The music turns more upbeat. Ryker glances over my shoulder again.
“What?” I say, pivoting. Kyra races across the room, her face flushed from champagne and dancing. Before she reaches us, Ryker leans into me, his chin just grazing my shoulder. His breath fans against the side of my face and sends shivers down my spine.
“Beck’s alive,” Ryker whispers. “And he’s okay.”
His words slide through my foggy, drunk brain and land in my heart. It whirls wildly, humming to life. Beck is alive. And unharmed.
He’s alive. Alive.
Tears of joy well in my eyes. “How do y—”
Kyra skids to a stop before me and grabs my arm. “Let’s dance. Show the world that you’re okay.” She sounds hopeful, as if I can dance away my troubles, but I shake my head, knowing any kind of movement like that will be disastrous for me. Drunk Lark can’t dance.
Ryker swigs from his bottle before passing it to Maz. It’s as if he hadn’t said anything earth-shattering to me.
“Do you remember that time we snuck out of the house and when we got home, Bethina was waiting? I swear I thought I was going to pee my pants when I saw her,” Ryker says, taking back the bottle.
Maz nods. “And Beck…” All three of my friends’ heads swivel toward me as if the mere mention of his name will cause me to breakdown or something. Kyra shifts uncomfortably and fidgets with her wristlet.
After a pause, Ryker finishes, “Got caught trying to scale the side of the house. How did you not