Chapter 36
JULIAN POLE
After Jace left, I stayed still for a while. My hands were shaking, and my reflection in the mirror looked like I'd just walked through a dream. The kind that feels too real to be a dream at all.
I took a breath. Straightened my shirt. Fixed my hair. Then I reached for my mask and slipped it back on. It smelled faintly of cologne and kitchen smoke.
The rest of the event went by in a blur. Faces, lights, laughter that didn't sound real. Plates clinking. Cameras flashing. People shaking hands. I moved through it all quietly, serving drinks, taking empty glasses, pretending not to exist.
By the time it ended, my feet ached, and the room was thinning out. Someone announced that the event had been a success. Everyone clapped. I just wanted air.
