n raining

Inside Celeste's atelier, time felt suspended. The lamps were on even though it was mid-a

arceau

d in, breathless and damp from the rai

e been able to g

fixed on a mannequin draped in ha

r gently on the nearest table.

nally

n't exist-not befo

rtbeat

nrollment, no medical files-nothing. He just... appears. After a co

loser, fingers br

e creat

wed. "Or he cr

-

il night to op

touts-grainy, re

ma was

seilles. The records were thin. No next of kin. No visitors. Comatose f

gers stopped

Name: L

oom t

pped th

se it sho

me part of her

-

g lights ripple on the water. He held a ligh

t rememb

red what it fe

at pocket-a torn page, stiff wi

ket

Cel

Not posed. Asle

't draw

drawn

ed slowly, e

her half

p with her na

ketch? Th

ted befor

bered someth

ed

cre

eling of b

-

private storage-deep beneath the showroom f

nce th

air was thick with forgotten te

landed on an old b

open

of fabric-charcoal silk, c

flipped until she reached

one Luc

rs had

itten ove

Lior

in faint

my muse. He's

s knees

e didn't w

remember

ye

her han

-

er a mystery about wh

bout who

nce burned it all to