THE VELVET ASSASSIN

of Estaria like a fury le

it clinging to him like a second skin. He hadn't moved since the moment Alessia vanished

haunted him more t

s the

wn and her vendetta. B

,something dark and sharp

s," said a vo

he head of palace security

he tunnels. No

lai muttered. "She wa

put a warrant on her name? There's

ld will see her as exactly what she wants to be,

d t

clenched. He

he did

e her? Protect

om, the stolen file open across the bed. Her

th hadn't been a

been a

Executed.

ssed. "That folder is enough to destroy

a interrupte

his brow.

cause exposure is justice. Bu

e stamped in the corne

oronation Day. Nikolai

You want to ruin him i

t to make him choose. Betwe

e royal chapel, its stained-glass windows

was almost holy. Bu

o, one he hadn't l

e. Standing over a pris

understood

he

sicke

ne buzz

wn Nu

by now. You know I'm right. Ten day

ed at t

le life preparing for now felt

new headline swept t

y Gala Vanishes. Pala

and foreign involvem

re in chaos. The coun

e gav

e in his life, he wasn't

Alessia stepped into an arms-dealer'

. "Buy what we need. We

an stepped forward someone she d

ar, Contess

ko

No guard

estions... and bet

said, voice low. "If the wom

link. "And what

loser, dange

ell in love

sper. "Then you should've worn