“Don’t be a wuss, gorgeous.”

“Wait!” Brianna yelled from behind them. “Please wait!”

She ran around them so that she stood between the group and her boss’s door. She threw up her hand to stop them, panting heavily, proving that Yardley had been right. She’d run up five flights of stairs.

“Just . . . just let me talk to her first,” she begged around deep breaths.

Erin gestured for Brianna to go ahead.

Blowing out a breath, the assistant walked until she just reached the doorway and in a strained, tight, barely-above-a-whisper voice said, “Uh, Betty . . . there’s someone to—”

With a good amount of speed, the woman ducked as a half-filled water bottle flew past her. “I said no interruptions! And what are you doing, you little twat? You’re interrupting!”

Nope. Kera had no reason to see this woman. No reason in the world. She didn’t care what the other women said. Firm in that belief, she turned to walk away, but Yardley wrapped her arm around Kera’s throat and pulled her into her chest to hold her there.

“Betty, honey. It’s me,” she called out. “Yardley.”

“Yardley? I thought you left.”

Unable to lift her head, Kera heard the clip-clop of big shoes on the hardwood floor as Betty Lieberman moved much too close for Kera’s comfort. The clip-clop stopped, there was a pause, then squealing.

“You guys!” Betty cheered. “What are you doing here?”

“Do you have some time, Bets?” Erin asked. “We have someone you need to meet with.”

“For you guys? Of course!” Then that sweet voice turned vicious and she snapped, “Why didn’t you tell me it was Erin? How I haven’t fired your idiot ass yet is beyond my understanding, Brianna!”

“I’ll just leave these guys here,” Yardley said, finally releasing the chokehold she had on Kera and shoving her into the office.

“I’ll see you guys later. Love you!”

Kera rubbed her neck and watched the short, powerfully built woman in a black silk business skirt and pale pink blouse wave at Yardley until she entered the elevator. Then she spun on poor Brianna, who was only trying to hand back the water bottle that had been flung at her.

“What part of ‘if Tessa or Chloe calls always put them through’ are you not understanding?” Betty demanded as she backed Brianna into the door. The size difference made it kind of hilarious. Brianna was like an Amazon. Tall and slim and beautiful. She looked like she should be on a runway somewhere, not desperately trying to find a way to calm down her insane boss. Even her designer glasses were adorable on her.

“But you also said—”

“Forget it!” Betty said, tossing her hand, which had Brianna rearing away from her so thatthe back of her head slammed against the hardwood door. “Just don’t even bother.”

Betty snatched the bottled water from Brianna and walked into the office, her expression again calm. “Do you guys want something? Coffee? Tea? Soda?” She held up the bottle in her hands. “Water? Or are you hungry? We have Danish, bagels, anything you want. Just let me know.”

“We’re fine,” Erin said, grabbing Kera by the back of the neck when she again tried to leave the office.

Kera punched Erin’s hand off her neck and the redhead pushed her back.

“Is this the new girl?” Betty asked, closing the doors of her office. She stopped before she closed them fully and barked, “No interruptions, Brianna!”

“But what if it’s—”

“No interruptions! Ever!”

Betty slammed the doors and faced them.

“What is wrong with you?” Erin asked Betty.

“When Brianna got here,” Betty explained to Kera, taking her arm and leading her to the couch across the big office, “she was a beautiful, confident, up-and-coming future studio executive. But after three years with me and a healthy, six-figure yearly income, I’ve destroyed her will to live.” Betty gave a soft smile. “I’m really good at my job.”

With a happy sigh, Betty pushed Kera onto the leather couch.

“Why would you do that?” Kera asked.

“Because she lets me. Erin can tell you, I abhor weakness. Even before I was a Crow.” Her head tilted to the side. “Are you weak, Kera?”

“I don’t know,” Kera answered honestly.

“She’s not,” Erin said. “She may not know, but I do.”

“Why did you bring her to me?”

“You know why, Betty. She needs to see, Seer.”

“Is that what you want, new girl? To see?”

“I don’t wanna see. I’m fine not seeing.”

“Don’t worry. It won’t hurt.”

“I don’t need to know my future or whatever. I can just let it happen.”

“I don’t see the future. I see the past and present.”

“If you show me my time in the Marines, I’m just going to miss it more.”

Betty sat down on the ottoman in front of Kera. “I wish it was that easy.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can show you things . . . but only the gods choose what I can show. I don’t control it.”

Kera cringed at that. “I don’t want to see my mother. You can’t show me my mother.”

Annalisa, now sitting in one of the chairs, leaned forward. “That’s interesting. Let’s discuss that a little further.”