days, Corinna barel

of crumpled sketch paper, dull p

her eyes to visualize a design, the suffocating memories of the Hampton est

hysically snatched the

sketchbook. "Brooklyn Art Fair. Go outside and breath

ew he was right. She grabbed her faded tren

and the vibrant colors of the independent boot

until she reached a small, poo

w, uncut stone resting on

a bla

piece of dirty coal. But as Corinna shifted her weig

iolent explosion of fiery red

eath h

ed in darkness, dismissed by everyon

her brain like a phy

table, and grabbed the stone. She did not even ask the vendor for

Zane's surprised look. She threw of

phite screamed against the paper as

ept was

unpolished black opal in a cage of hollowed-out gold wire. The gold had to be th

ction. One slip of the han

raight. Her back screamed i

gold wire, her hand trembled slightly from

nto the side of

tantly, dripping on

first aid kit. "Corinna,

apped. Her eyes were wild, co

finger, picked up the tool, and kept carving. She could

a gray light through the window,

the to

eautiful cage of gold thorns. But the gold could not hide the stone. Through

her. He sucked i

"This is better than anyth

es felt like jelly, but a deep, pure satisf

the necklace, uploaded it to the c

glass monolith of the Warner Group

missions for the jewelry competition. Hundre

finger stopped

design was so aggressive, so breathtakingl

designer's name in th

na Ma

ed his eyes and looked aga

grabbed the paper from the tray,

d pushed open the heavy oak

long table, listening to three nervou

o Holland and placed the printed design an

rruption. He waved his hand, dismissing the

ked down at

f the necklace. His usual expression of bo

e saw t

dding-a frivolous hobby meant to make a socialite look cultured. He had never imagined that the lines she drew possessed such terrifying power and vitality. This was absolutely not the work of an amateur. The sheer genius

e and slammed his finger

nd out exactly where Corinna has been and what she has