y eyes widened a fraction. The muscles

d. The rubber tip of his cane crunched over a piece of brok

ried blood smeared across the back of her small

d's voice was a low rumble th

er, she is clumsy. She knocked over the coffee and bro

A

e against the marble floor. Th

th, Alton," Gl

shut. He swallowed

lines on his face softened just a millimeter. "What is y

parents. She kept her eyes

voice was steady, completely devoid o

t means 'daughter of the sea' in Latin. The woman who pick

mouth. Her face turned the color of ash. The shame of hearing the word "trash

mplex mix of guilt and intense

oinette is your real moth

Antoinette. Her blue eyes were completely hol

ropped from her lips like heavy stones. "She only

had to grab the wooden banister of the staircase to keep from fal

ed her eyes shut and forced out a loud w

his head. He shot Halli

e choked on her own saliva, swa

nce. Everyone waited for the patriarch t

ia was not

the physical distance between herself and the old ma

e with surgical precision. "I know the l

the room carried every syllable. "But the law

so fast his ears rang. He pointed a shaking finger at C

cking Alton's path. He did not look at his

er lungs, preparing to drop the bomb she had calcul

here, but can I choose who

estion hung

e stared at the seven-year-old gir

ed, but a sick thrill of joy shot through her stomach. She t

tomach acid. His own flesh and blood was firing him in front of the h

his knuckles turned white. The shock in his

even know what you are asking for? Wh