There's something more than Mei's sweet, flowery perfume in the air. There must be. Something even a MANTIS can't shrug off.

That's the only possible explanation for the heavy anticipation that frames her thoughts, the soft, squirming heat that fills her the longer she holds Kiana close, the devastating fragility of Mei's sunset eyes tracing her jawline, and above it all—

Above it all—

The horrible, horrible feeling—

—that nothing is going to go wrong.

[A spiritual sequel to certain dark things.]