The party was still going strong. Music drifted through the courtyard, glasses clinked, and laughter rose and fell in waves. The media drones continued their silent patrol, capturing every smile, every glance, every whispered conversation.
Silvia stood with a cluster of women near the champagne fountain, forcing a smile onto her face. She had been trying for the past hour to steer conversations toward topics that favored her—her upcoming child, her influence in Fenris's household, her growing status among the elite. But the women seemed more interested in comparing her to Jinx.
"It is truly remarkable," one woman said, swirling her drink. "Jinx comes from the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan. One of the most powerful bloodlines in the world. That is a level of status Silvia will never reach, no matter how many children she bears."
