way like a bullet

. She dropped her shoulders, lengthened her neck, and drove her heels into the floor with a precision that was almost violent. It was the Cobra Walk

through the front row. Heads turned. Sunglasses were lowered.

mured, loud enough to be heard over th

widening. "Mon Dieu," he breathed. "That movement. It is not the girl from th

skin, blinding and purifying. She couldn't see the faces in the crow

ing photos like the rest of the influencers. He was watching. He saw the chin-the sharp, defi

s his

alk. This was the moment Brandy us

yes, framed by the black feathers of the mask, locked onto the camera lens at the center of

ee seconds. An eter

hips as she walked back was hypn

apping; it was a roar. It was the kin

d. "She's stealing my spotlight!" she shrieked, throwing her half-eaten d

between the monitor and the curtain. "The press loves it," he

adrenaline was still coursing throu

k you're clever?" she hissed, r

said, her voice muffled slightly by the mask but clear enough to cut glass.

she?" A vo

y a phalanx of cameras and lighting

completely. He went

d finger at her. "That walk! It

front of Hester. "Pierre

thout looking. "Move, child.

ger smile. "Yes, Pierre, this is our c

dden talents," a deep vo

haos seemed to freeze around him. He didn't look at Haywo

ood close enough that she could smell the cris

d, microphones thrust forward. "Who is this 'Myster

ly didn't cal

ing. "Who are you?" "Take o

ng her the stage. She looked at Haywood, who was pale, shaking

t take of

oes the work," she said in

the air. It was cry

ort the star to her transport. The public d

cked off. Haywood stood there, mouth open, unable

smooth under her fingers. They walked out together,

wood and Brandy were standing in the wreckage of t