the marble terrace like hone

e no one actually touched, her spoon clinking lightly against the side of

fountains. One guard leaned by a column, unreadable behind black

was

thing about a meeting in the east wing, somet

ty, placed, and not to be moved. But Catal

re in white. Crossing the far edge of the compound near the rear chapel

ly. The guards didn't react. The house staff

A man in a bone-colored linen suit with silver hair slicked t

ers freezing around her fork. It was Don Esteban T

pens that cost more than coffins. Catal

n port

ed p

tories laced with fear and awe, but ne

d and walked away from the arch

ir, slipped off her heels, and moved like someone invisibl

lowed t

greenhouse. The woman moved quickly despite her age, like

ne alcove flanked by wild ivy. When she turne

ighed, slo

" the nun

ina s

are

someone who sees t

peaking to

es

hy

tilted h

d, as if she'd spent too many years

n't be here

r shoul

pa

ed closer, her voi

g a path that

ina b

use

nun said, her voice threa

ou. Smart. Be

e lion's mouth and come ou

don't sh

y with it bef

narrowed

ning me?" The nu

ou." Catalina

u work f

God," the

s carefully around

retched be

sked, "Who are

expression

s mother,"

hey said

a froze

the n

Tragedy, they said. But that woman didn't die. S

t dry. "Why would sh

't," the

o take them.

glass in Catalina's che

sons," the

other they raised in its ash

tears, but with memory. "Lucien was the quiet one. The on

s throat

tly. The nun's gaze shi

. The nun took

orn. They took his mother. They hid him in shadows. The family calls

pounded. "Tell me

the nun's eyes went sharp,

turned. A

o the alcove, hands folded behind h

he said, v

time t

inch. She release

ter Camila's wrist with fingers t

ng the gardens," C

miled. "Of co

Catalina. Not long

thly. "It's a beautiful mo

slowly. Her pulse thun

n the path, disappearing back into the hous

, surrounded by ivy,

questions she did

ke ice: she was inside something f

tarted playing before