Selene POV
"Selene! Get down here right now!"
My mother's words cut through the house like a whip. I dropped my hairbrush and ran downstairs, my heart racing. Lady Valeria only used that tone when something was very, very wrong.
I found her in the living room, moving back and forth like a caged animal. Her face was pale, and her hands were shaking with anger.
"What's wrong, Mother?" I asked, even though part of me didn't want to know.
"The Blackwoods will be at the gala tonight." She spat their name like it was poison. "That family of liars and thieves will be in the same room as us."
My stomach dropped. I knew the story of what the Blackwoods had done to us. How they had tried to destroy our business with lies and dirty tricks. How they had almost succeeded in ruining everything my family had worked for.
But I'd never actually met any of them. They were like monsters in a scary story - terrible but not quite real.
"Why are they coming?" I asked.
"It's that boy's birthday party. Arius Blackwood turns twenty-four today." Mother's eyes flashed with hate. "His family thinks they can show off their wealth and power in front of everyone. They want to show they're still important after we beat them."
Arius Blackwood. I'd heard his name whispered at business meetings and family meals for years. The heir to the Blackwood wealth. The enemy's son. But I'd never seen him or talked to him.
Part of me was curious. What did he look like? Was he as cruel and heartless as his father?
"We should just stay home," I said. "Why go somewhere we're not wanted?"
Mother grabbed my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes. "Because we are not cowards, Selene. We will go to that party and show everyone that the Moonstone family is not afraid of anyone. Especially not the Blackwoods."
"But what if they try to cause trouble?"
"Let them try." Her voice was ice cold. "We know their tricks now. They can't fool us again like they did five years ago."
I nodded, but inside I felt nervous and scared. Going to a party where people hated you seemed like a bad idea. But I'd learned never to argue with my mother when she was angry.
"Go get ready," she ordered. "Wear the green dress. Look beautiful and secure. Show them that we're not ashamed of anything."
Back in my room, I stared at myself in the mirror. My red hair looked wild and messy from running downstairs. My green eyes were wide with worry. I didn't look like someone who could face her family's worst enemies.
But I was a Moonstone. My grandfather had built our shipping business from nothing. My mother had saved it when the Blackwoods tried to destroy us. Now it was my turn to be strong.
As I put on the green dress, I tried to imagine what would happen tonight. Would the Blackwoods try to insult us in front of everyone? Would there be a fight? Would someone say something that would make the family feud even worse?
My phone buzzed with a text from my best friend Liora: "Are you really going to the Blackwood party tonight? Be careful!"
I texted back: "Don't have a choice. Wish me luck."
But as I was putting my phone away, it rang. Unknown number.
"Hello?"
Silence. Then deep breathing.
"Who is this?" I asked.
A man's voice, muffled like he was trying to hide who he was: "Tell your family to stay home tonight. The event isn't safe. Someone is trying to use your feud with the Blackwoods to hurt both families."
My blood turned to ice. "What are you talking about? Who are you?"
"I can't tell you that. But please listen - there's someone who wants the Moonstone and Blackwood families to destroy each other totally. Tonight is when they plan to make it happen."
"How do I know you're not lying? How do I know this isn't some Blackwood trick?"
"Because," the voice said softly, "your life might depend on it. And so might his."
The line went dead.
I stared at the phone, my hands shaking. Who had called me? How did they get my number? And what did they mean about someone wanting both families to destroy each other?
My first thought was to tell my mother. But I knew exactly what she'd say - that it was a Blackwood trick to scare us into staying home. She'd never believe that someone else might be the real danger.
But what if the person was telling the truth? What if going to the gala tonight would put my family in terrible danger?
I looked at myself in the mirror again. The scared girl looking back at me didn't seem ready to handle whatever was coming. But I didn't have a choice. My mother would never let me stay home, especially not because of a strange phone call.
As I walked downstairs to meet the driver, my mind raced with questions. Who was the mystery caller? What kind of danger were we going into? And why had the caller stated "his" life too - was he talking about Arius Blackwood?
The strangest part was that the caller had sounded truly worried about both families. Like he cared what happened to us and the Blackwoods. But that was impossible. Everyone knew you had to pick a side in this war.
Mother was waiting by the car, looking angry and determined. "Ready to face our enemies?"
I nodded, even though I'd never felt less ready for anything in my life.
As we drove toward the gala, I couldn't shake the thought that tonight would change everything. I just didn't know if it would change for better or worse.
But I was about to find out that some changes happen the moment you look into someone's eyes.
And I was about to look into the gray eyes of Arius Blackwood.