You almost miss him, the way you almost miss him — Sylvester Nightshade, standing at the far wall where the candlelight does not reach, so still he might be part of the shadow. The other two are loud about it: Valentin Ashdown's voice, Peregrine Winterbourne's laugh. Sylvester contributes nothing. He just watches you, and the weight of it sits between your shoulder blades like a hand you cannot shrug off.

Then the room goes quiet, because you are about to walk out, and Sylvester finally speaks.

One word, and it is not a joke, and it is not a suggestion.

He steps out of the shadow, and for the first time you can see his eyes — dark, and already decided.

he says, so low only you can hear it,

A pause.