A Velvet Syndicate Prelude

In Valleria, a woman's condition reflects her family's power.

Fiora Cretella's family had no power. She had no idea what that meant yet.

When her family leaves Naples for the glittering city-state of Valleria, Fiora expects wealth, opportunity, and a fresh start.

Instead, she finds a city that makes no sense.

Men step aside without being asked.

Coffee appears without expectation.

Doors open before she reaches them. And the most powerful people in the city seem interested in what she thinks.

The longer Fiora lives in Valleria, the more she begins to realize that the city's greatest secret isn't its wealth, its influence, or the families who quietly rule it.

It's the women.

Because in Valleria, a woman's value is never questioned. And for the first time in her life, Fiora is beginning to wonder what it feels like to be seen