Flashback ( PDFDrive )

He hummed a few more beats, rocking back on his heels. “I believe
it’s from a wedding. I can see the gown so clearly. It looked like . . .
spun sunlight. And I think there was some sort of commotion. Wait!
You were the one who interrupted!”
Alina’s face turned tomato red. So did Alden’s. And Della’s.
It was no secret that Alina had once dated Alden and then tried to
stop him from marrying Della. But clearly none of them appreciated
the reminder.
“Well,” Alina rasped, smoothing her hair, “that was a long time ago,
and it worked out in the end.” She pointed to her peridot circlet.
“Serving on the Council is a tremendous honor,” Fallon told her.
“But it shouldn’t be your life. I gave the same advice to another, once.
Sadly, I don’t believe she listened either.”
He could’ve been referring to anyone, of course, but . . .
Councillor Oralie’s cheeks had turned the same shade of pink as the
tourmalines on her throne. Her azure eyes also looked glassy with
unshed tears—which broke Sophie’s heart. She’d long suspected that
Oralie had resisted her feelings for Kenric in order to remain on the
Council. And now Kenric was gone.
“Okay,” Emery said, clapping his hands to get everyone’s attention.
“We’ve gotten way off track.”
“We have,” a new voice agreed as yet another Vacker stood—a
female with vivid red hair and small points to her ears. “And no one
has asked the most important question. How do you think people are
going to react when they hear that a notorious criminal is living back
home with his family instead of being locked away? And don’t tell me
they won’t find out. This kind of gossip never stays quiet.”