~Sienna~

The small, flesh-colored bud in my ear hums with a faint, electric sound as Nova pulls the zipper of my silk gown upward. The sound of the teeth locking together feels final, like a gate closing. To Nova, who is fussing over the lace on my sleeves and humming a wedding march, I am just a nervous bride. But every crackle in that earpiece is a heartbeat in a high-stakes game. My hands are steady, but my mind is a tactical map.

"You look breathtaking, Sienna," my mother whispers as she ...