2011: It's been ten years since the sky literally came crashing down around Yael Malkah and upended her world. Now she's returned to New York to visit her ailing grandmother. With no other family, it's up to her to take care of the family business...
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The next morning, Yael stood in front of the full-length mirror, quietly assessing her outfit and toying with the charm on her necklace. Miriam would certainly approve; one couldn't really go wrong with black slacks and a white blouse. Utilitarian, just like the room she'd slept in.
All she saw were terrified eyes and a messy mane of brown hair. She should have taken the time to straighten.
Her wardrobe in L.A. was more casual—jeans, flip flops, gauzy skirts. Already she felt too constricted, shaped from clay into a role she didn't fit. Her gaze shifted towards a bright yellow sundress laying atop her suitcase. What would the people at her family's company think if she showed up wearing that instead, the phoenix tattoo gracing her left shoulder blade in full view? Better to save the extra shock for another visit. Her unexpected presence would be surprising enough.
Yael planned to drop the unread documents off, say hello, then inform Miriam she didn't have the strength to be in charge of a multi-billion dollar empire. There was no place for her at Malkah Enterprises, not anymore. Yael sighed and left the apartment before changing her mind about her clothes again.
When the cab pulled up in front of the tall, imposing building that housed Malkah Enterprises, Yael froze with a hand on the door and her heart beating in her ears. Unable to think or move, she stared at the glass and chrome skyscraper, half-expecting it to fall to the ground in front of her... another scar from that fateful morning, and a totally unreasonable one. What grown woman was afraid of skyscrapers? Fear clamped down on her, making it impossible to breathe, and black dots peppered her vision.
"You are not allowed to have a meltdown, you idiot," she muttered.
"Excuse me?" the driver asked.
She shook her head, annoyed to be caught muttering by a cab driver, and forced herself out of the car. It'd been long enough, and she was tired of being afraid.
Yael gathered herself together and walked into the lobby. After checking in with security, she took the elevator to the executive offices on the eighteenth floor. She stepped into a space once as familiar as her own home.
Beautiful, dark Brazilian wood dominated the reception area, and plush chairs invited clients and associates to wait in comfort. Tasteful black and white photos dotted the beige walls, pictures of the company's finished buildings, and one of Isaac Malkah, Malkah's founder, and her great-grandfather. During her internship, she had entered through this office every day, striding across the room with purpose. Now, even though it hadn't changed, she was an intruder.
Perched behind a massive desk, the receptionist smiled warmly and motioned her over.
"How can I help you today?"
Unsure of who she was supposed to see, Yael blurted the name of her father's best friend. "Peter Peregrine, please."
