ely let his

the library, Elira saw something raw in his ey

tographs of Roth shaking hands with foreign buyers in a private hangar. And in the center o

f her parents, the takeover of the e

sian ha

" she aske

t pretend to

yea

flin

ou've been circling my life for two

alive," he said evenly. "Y

t your cal

tanding now, fac

I was the one who had to listen to Roth make jokes about it at an auction dinner six months later. Every move I've made

he spat. "Was that a

e was answ

t or guilt in his eyes tha

ered to me. "To your father.

kin. She wanted to scream. To hit s

s," she said. "Togethe

ork-code-named "Crimson"-was ready to move. Elira had only heard whispers of the clandestine group. Former in

y were

d from a deep dive into

ng a private gala in Prague next weekend. It's not public, but his buyer, Laza

owned. "

veil for a black-market auction. Arms, intelligence, e

kind of place,

at her. "You'

s the reason this exchange is happening. If I don't show m

forward. "It's

everything," she snapp

to interrupt this emotionally charg

didn't

nded Elira a f

t's

u're not going as Elira Vexley. You're

ys later

Czerny Palace was

agne flutes balanced on silver trays. In the middle, the most important figure

tly as a second layer of skin. On her face, Flora wore a mask, filigree and trimmed with f

"It's your lifeline. Speak into it once if you

descended the staircase, h

her closer to the c

mm. "Okay, El. You've got eyes on you already. Just

queen of a coff

s the

g great. Roth's is in the west wing. He hasn't seen y

om, offering flirtatious smiles, feig

rince rumored to fund blood diamond operations. These peo

d-pepper hair and eyes like polished glass. He was surroun

hed slowly, g

grin. We haven't talked before, but I kno

r, curious. "And

of business

en you'll enjoy what w

. "You're using the Vexley Foundation

in his eyes-surpri

ou know t

se I o

room felt like i

ngerous. "So, you're the hidden b

ed. "He of

facade for a mom

now, Mr. De Vries

n her ear. "Get out. Now. Roth just