The night smelled of rain and smoke as Adriana slipped through the servant’s passage of the Moretti estate. Her heart hammered against her ribs, every beat a warning that what she was doing was reckless, suicidal even.
But she had no choice.
If Isabella was the crowned snake, then somewhere she had a nest. A place where she hid her venom and secrets. And tonight, Adriana intended to find it.
The consigliere’s directions had been precise—too precise, perhaps. But desperation made her bold. With each step deeper into the marble halls, she felt the weight of her choice pressing down, pressing her forward.
She paused at a corner, pressing herself into the shadows as footsteps echoed past. A pair of guards, their laughter harsh and careless, strolled by without noticing her. Adriana only br
