The first explosion hit without warning.

One moment, Camille was helping an elderly woman toward the exit, her arm supporting the frail body. The next, a thunderous boom shook the building. The floor beneath them trembled. Crystal chandeliers swayed dangerously overhead.

The blast came from the kitchen area, not the main ballroom. But the sound alone was enough to shatter the orderly evacuation into panic.

People screamed. Pushed. Ran for ...