She turns and introduces herself to Wren.
“And you are… a Rosetti? A cousin of Nico’s? Or a sister? Or…”
Juliet smiles, and the room gets brighter. “Nico is my cousin-in-law, I suppose. My sister, Eleanor, is married to Leonardo Rosetti, one of the New York crew.”
Wren frowns. “And you’re here because…?”
“I grew up around business and empires. The gem business. I know how money moves. And I’m just here to help in any way I can.” She turns to me. “What do you need from me?"
Good. We understand each other.
"Pull a chair," I tell her. "I'll explain what we have."
I'm twenty minutes into the explanation when the door opens and Isa walks in.
She scans the room. Her gaze moves over me, over the screens, over Wren on the day bed — one brief, flat acknowledgment — and then it finds Juliet.
Something happens to Isa's face.
I've worked with her for years. I know her face the way I know the floor plan of this building. I have seen her cold, sharp, closed, occasionally wry. What I haven't seen is what happens now: a genuine smile. Not the professional warmth she deploys on VIP guests. The real version, smaller and less guarded, which she rarely spends on anyone.
She crosses to Juliet. "You must be the one Nico mentioned. I'm Isa. Do you need anything before you start — coffee, water?"
Juliet's shoulders drop about half an inch. "Coffee would be amazing, actually."
"I'll get it myself. The kitchen coffee is better." Isa's tone is easy. Warm. "Come find me if you need anything. I'll show you where everything is later."
She looks at me once — quick, professional — and then she's gone.
Juliet watches her leave. "She seems nice."
"She isn’t," I say, "to most people."
My eyes move to Wren.
She's looking at the ceiling. She’s clearly working hard to keep her face still. Carefully neutral. But I know her well enough now to read what's underneath: the hurt, clean and simple.
She's been here a while. Isa saidwhat's she doing hereat the war council. Didn't come to the hospital. Has been cold and excluding since the beginning — and now, for a stranger she's known for thirty seconds, the real smile.
After Isa returns to drop off the coffee, Juliet wraps both hands around the mug and looks at me.
When I say, "I need your expertise on something specific," her eyes sharpen. The princess has a different gear.
"Tell me," she says.
I lay it out. And I ask for her help directly. I need it.
Because the systems failed. Someone who knows how I think built a structure inside my structure, and it held for months while I audited everything around it and missed it.
"Money has been leaving our operating accounts for months," I say. "Small amounts, carefully formatted, moving through shell companies with enough layers to survive routine audit. The trail terminates at accounts connected to the Zayas family. Andrei Cebotari was tracking it. Andrei died before he could close the thread. The person who knew Andrei was close enough to warn them is still inside."
Juliet has gone very still.
"We've been treating it as a financial leak," I continue. "But Andrei flagged a gem dealer three weeks ago — valuations that don't hold. I couldn't make it fit the accounting anomalies. That's where I need you."
Juliet sets down the mug.
"Can I see the transactions?"
