bulbs wer

undation Gala. It felt like a death warrant. Elena had laid out a dress for her-a hideous, lime-green taffeta monstr

number Clemente Pennington had left her. It was a desperate move, an alliance wi

d make the call. It was Cristi

! It's ca

What are you talking about? I'm lo

ey've revoked our permit! Something about a violation of the endowment

ss Cleora's face. He hadn't wa

ey're all standing outside in the cold! Elena is screaming at the la

and Clemente had found out. He hadn't just cancelled a party;

t for the sound of Elena's muffled shouting from the library. She saw Matriarch Beatrice Hart sitting in a vel

hissed as Cleora approached. "T

cting clearly. She held a battered wooden box in her hands.

e. She curtsied. It was

Cleora said. "A

ened t

ot a root, but a sheaf of aged papers

crossed Beatrice's face

voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the room. "The one grandfather always said was lost

tion, froze in the library doorwa

he Hart Group," Cleora continued calmly. "I found the original registration documents in her safe deposit box. According to the bylaws, upon

asn't about a rare flower; this was about th

ace like oil. Elena looked as

was replaced by a greedy, glittering aw

announced, her voice booming.

empty seat beside he

ross the room at Elena. S