The conference room at Starlight Media was freezing, a deliberate choice by the new management to keep meetings short and efficient.
Aria sat at the head of the table (a seat she had claimed simply by walking in first), sipping a latte Zoe had fetched. Her hands were still wrapped in the black silk and gold guards, resting on the polished mahogany like lethal accessories.
Across from her, Bella was fidgeting. The "Fruit Knife Incident" from the day before had rattled her, but Bella Vale was nothing if not persistent in her delusion. She was currently whispering furiously to Lucas, who looked like he would rather be anywhere else, preferably on a yacht with no cell service.
"Listen up," CEO Vance announced, walking in with a stack of files. "The buzz for The Empress's Shadow is astronomical. But in this news cycle, buzz dies in forty-eight hours. We need to sustain the momentum."
He dropped a file in front of each cast member.
