Blood, Silk Ribbons & Girls Who Smile Like Knives
Sunday, February 16thDear Diary,
There is something unspeakably luxurious about solving ancient conspiracies in silk pajamas and a cashmere robe hand-stitched by a blind artisan in Milan.
The cortado Isadora brought me this morning? Infused with Madagascar vanilla.The linen on my bed? 400 thread count.The book I'm currently decoding? Bound in human skin (probably… hopefully faux).
Anyway, I think I'm being followed.
✦ Ashthorn, Continued
After I fainted into Leoni's quiches and ruined her PR moment — which, in my defense, was extremely necessary — I returned to the tunnels beneath the chapel. Don't worry, I wore gloves this time. Velvet, not latex. One must maintain standards.
Down there, in the candlelit dark, I found something new:
A silver locket with a picture of a St. Augustine's girl… dated 1884. She looks exactly like Cressida Bellamy.
A second mural. This one depicting a group of girls with eyes scratched out — but one left untouched. A red ribbon painted around her throat.
A Latin phrase carved into the wall:"Praeeminentes semper solae sunt."Translation: "The exceptional are always alone."
It was giving elite cult meets fashion week promo shoot. I had chills.
I took the locket, the ribbon, and two pages from the Ashthorn Codex (which I rolled into an empty Jo Malone gift tube, for discretion). What can I say? We adapt.
✦ Something Rotten in Cressida
This morning at brunch — hosted by Leoni, naturally — Cressida Bellamy arrived late. She wore a white silk dress and an heirloom brooch shaped like a serpent devouring a rose.
I recognized the symbol.
It was on one of the rings I found in the sub-cellar.
She smiled at me with that flat, predatory calm she saves for social climbers and substitute teachers. Then she leaned in and whispered:
"Some secrets are earned, not found.You're clever, Leonora. Don't make the mistake of thinking that's enough."
I smiled right back. Then I laced her lemon water with truth serum from Aunt Lisette's apothecary stash.(Not enough to hurt her — just enough to make her overshare.)
She ended up telling a table of fencing girls that she once bribed a rowing coach with Cartier earrings, and then excused herself to scream in the powder room.
Delicious.
✦ Leoni Is Still Upset
She's stomping around the house muttering things like:
"You upstaged me with Latin, Leonora."
"That rat skull better not be in my jewelry drawer."
"This brunch was supposed to be about me."
Which… fair.
So to make it up to her, I'm designing a custom spell for her next party. It includes:
A glamour enchantment (flawless lighting for selfies)
A mild love hex (for the fencing coach)
And a forgetfulness charm so no one remembers she fell into the koi pond last week
You're welcome, Leoni.
✦ What's Next
Cressida's threat wasn't just for show. I think she's testing me — or warning me.There are levels to the Ashthorn Circle.And I haven't even scratched the top.
But I will. Because I was raised in couture and combat. I've won archery medals in silk gloves. And I once sold a painting to an ambassador's mistress under a pseudonym just to prove I could.
If Ashthorn thinks I'll back down because they leave dead roses in my locker and whisper in the walls at night?
They don't know Leonora Cortzel.
Yours in wealth, witchcraft, and just enough criminal curiosity,Leonora CortzelHeiress. Artist. Possibly a danger to herself and others.Still rich. Still better.