he cliffs like it knew s

er waist, the hem of her dress lashing at her calves in the rising wind. Salt clung to her

her:

her: conf

ing into the encroaching dusk, Alora wasn't sure wheth

rising from memor

oat, hair pulled back into a high, severe knot. In her eyes danced s

d. "You always did lo

Alora replied, stepping for

smirk, but the h

? The sister showdown? Or is this an

" Faye said. "I'm here.

fs, 15 Y

on the rocks, watching the ligh

ad?" Alora asked, draw

s. "I think she loved the idea of him. Like how people lo

sister, heart heavy.

the waves, eyes unreadable.

n the

e fall. "You were always the root," she said. "Always holdin

s," Alora said co

"But I never claim

l me-why now? Why come back after vanishin

ace was calm, but her voi

e, Alora. And now I'm

et and pulled out a folded phot

gh. Two women-Faye and an older woman-standing in fr

everything about restoration, authenticity, and the politics of art. We curated

hat does this ha

n accident. It was staged. And the person

caught. "That's

. "I found the paper trail. Letters. Signatures. She used me as the scapegoat. Paid o

you tell me

"Back then, when you wore pearls like shac

allowed.

e back because the Ashcombes took everything from us. And y

Return Is Not Roman

access to Ashcombe assets, expose Helen, and take down the family empire fro

Alora asked

he realized too late the Ashcombes aren't roya

t the pie

ra

eartb

n something d

lights cut thr

slowly on the dirt

Faye bot

hcombe. Regal in a blood-red coat

pping forward, "isn't

stif

didn'

mile was

er hunt, Faye?" she asked. "You thought you could marry my

eed your applause, Helen

at. But cleverness doesn't win wars. Power does. And I'

u, of all people, should

ine straight. "I'm not

you'd better bring a shovel

harder. In the distance, lightn

pped bes

back toward the car

alled a

id. "It's ju