ed Avery every morning at 5:00 AM. It was a scent that had become a secondar

le floors stretched out like a frozen lake, reflecting the moonlight filtering through the vaulted windows. In the "Real" world

To win the game, she had to become invisible. She had to endure the three years of marriage to Lucca Valenti

ter of

ed a spot

of the sweeping staircase, draped in a charcoal silk robe. He held a glass of amber liquid, hi

y moved her cloth to the spot he indicated, a mic

f a panther. "Three years of this exquisite silence. Sometimes I wonder if you're s

e of his hand-made Italian loafer

120text{ bpm}. She forced herself to breathe, to slow the internal cl

h that felt like a cold blade. "Tonight is the Gala. The Board will be watching. You will wear the

nodded

tch in

rity detail swarmed the grounds. Avery was moved from the foyer to the d

ery stared into the vanity mirror. For a split s

ckered-not grey, but a br

ocol is taking its toll. But then she noticed the clock on the wall. The second ha

e back of her mind. It wasn't Lucca's voice.

ror. It felt... wrong. Not cold glass, but a subtl

sked, her voice sounding strangely metallic, as if

ad spoken in weeks. Her own voice sounded ali

ala o

elite of the Woods-Valentine merger were all there-men and wome

hanging heavy at her throat. The gem felt hot against her skin,

in as they shook hands with a senator. "Y

ut her lips curved into the pr

violin concerto-Avery felt a h

etail, but his eyes were sharp, intelligent, and focused entirely on he

ngry, Avery," th

childhood, a secret her father had told her

you?" she

f to adjust her cloak. "And I'm the one who's going to

allroom flickered and died. A heavy, oppressive

ecame a vice. "Stay still

ddenly glowing with a faint, digital blue light. The guests began to murm

roar of static. He grabbed Avery's hand, pulling her away from

ectly still, his face beginning to pixelate and dissolve into raw cod

ssolving Lucca said, his voice a distorted, de

anished, replaced by a bottomles

ng apart. Is he her savior, or just another layer of the lie

one, and the rea