“Are you enjoying the gala?” he asks politely.“Very much,” I lie, which is a shame. Alice has outdone herself with the party planning and I wish I could be fully present, not engaging in romantic espionage. “It’s for such a wonderful cause.”“Indeed. The mural is absolutely fantastic. I hear you’re
IrisUnfortunately, the champagne winds up doing very little to calm my frayed nerves as I weave through the crowd, staying close to the walls where I’m less likely to be noticed. Every few minutes, I catch a glimpse of Veronica’s glittering red gown across the room, and my stomach performs somersau
“Quite the turnout,” I murmur to Alice.“Told you,” she says, snagging two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handing one to me. Goddess knows I’ll need it tonight. “Everyone who’s anyone is here. And they’re all talking about the art program. You did it, Iris.”I can’t help but feel a f
Iris“You’re fidgeting again,” Alice says from the doorway of her office, which she’s graciously loaned me as a dressing room for the night.I catch my own reflection in the full-length mirror, and realize that yes, I am indeed fidgeting—smoothing down my dress for the thousandth time, running my fi
The Beta shifts uncomfortably. “Well, sir, given your recent absence, and the, uh, public perception of your… vacation, it would be… inadvisable to miss an event of this magnitude.”Beside me, Veronica straightens. “Public perception? What are you implying, boy?”The Beta’s face reddens. “Nothing, m
ArthurThe airplane finally touches down on the runway with a gentle bounce. I blink slowly, consciousness returning in fragments as the fog that’s been clouding my mind momentarily thins.For a split second, I wonder where I am and how I got here.Then Veronica’s hand squeezes my thigh, and the fog