e May

table with the unnatural calm of a sleep

like it could shatter in my hands. I flipped to the final page. Hugh's ostentat

gar lighter, left there for one of the groomsmen. I

elf directly beneath a small, circular smoke detecto

li

the corner of the agreement. The paper curled instan

eyes, offering no warmth. It licked closer and closer to my f

surged, a hungry, roaring thing that devoured the lies and the be

e hotel's silence. A moment later, the sprinkler system

eople shouted and ran, their pani

ter soak my silk robe, my hair, my skin. It felt li

had given me for our engagement. I looked at them for a second, then t

uests. In the confusion, no one saw me. No one paid att

heavy door to the emergency stairwell, disap

d night air hitting my wet clothes and making me shi

usly dry. I dialed a number I had memorized, a number

irst ring. A man's voice

r, but from the bone-deep cold. My

ate Pl