Chapter 11 The Masks We Wear

Venice glimmered beneath the moonlight, its canals snaking like veins through a city haunted by time. The Carnival was in full swing-masks, music, and misdirection cloaking the night in a deceptive celebration.

Elena stepped out of the gondola, her mask a gold-and-black filigree piece that framed her piercing eyes. She wore a sleek, floor-length d