Act I The dog came out of the fog like a warning the forest had been trying to give for miles. Maya Bennett saw only a blur at first. Golden-brown fur. Wet ears….

Act I The wine fell slowly enough for everyone to understand it was deliberate. A dark red stream spilled from the crystal glass, sliding over Elena Marlowe’s hair, down her forehead, along her…

Act I The old woman stared at the soup like it was something she wanted badly enough to fear. Steam rose from the white bowl in soft curls, carrying the smell of chicken…

Act I The desert road looked endless until the motorcycles blocked it. Six bikes stood across the asphalt in a rough black line, engines rumbling low under the orange-gold sky. Dust drifted around…

Act I The bikers were laughing so loudly that the spoons trembled in the coffee cups. Six of them crowded around the corner table at Miller’s Diner, a retro little place with red…

Act I The marble floor was so polished it reflected the chandeliers like trapped stars. Guests in tuxedos and evening gowns drifted through the Grand Aurelia lobby, speaking in soft voices beneath gold…

Act I The waiter smiled as he insulted her. That was what made it unbearable. Not the words alone. Not the twenty-five minutes she had spent sitting at the white-linen table with nothing…

Act I The bells began tolling while Claire was still standing in her wedding dress. Not walking. Not smiling. Not holding her husband’s hand. Standing. Alone. White petals clung to the gray carpet…

Act I The suitcase hit every porch step on the way down. Thud. Scrape. Thud. Clara Whitaker tried to lift it higher, but her fingers were numb from the cold and her wrist…