When Emilia opened her eyes, everything was dust and silence. Her lungs screamed for air. The ground beneath her vibrated, and the acrid scent of burnt metal filled her nose. Her ears rang so loudly she almost didn’t hear herself whisper…
“Daniel…”
Her throat burned, and as she tried to move, sharp pain shot up her arm. Her fingers were bleeding, and her dress was torn. The elegant white marble of the Cross conglomerate, which Alexander had just recently renovated, was now a field of ruin.
Pieces of wood, twisted metal, and glass lay everywhere. Flames licked the corners of what used to be the conference hall.
“Daniel!” she screamed again, panic cracking her voice.
Somewhere to her right, a weak cry pierced through the smoke. Emilia’s heart beat harder as she crawled toward the sound,
