Chapter 38 · He had stopped breathing. “You knew,” I said

He had stopped breathing.

“You knew,” I said.

“Not everything.”

“You knew Silas had leverage.”

“I knew he had files.”

“On your mother.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Would you have believed me?”

“You didn’t even try.”

“I tried to get you out.”

“You signed the order.”

His eyes finally met mine.

“No,” he said. “I signed a transfer order. Silas changed the destination.”

My anger stumbled.

He stepped closer, but this time he didn’t touch me. His hands stayed at his sides, fists tight enough to shake.

“I thought they were sending you to the power vault,” he said. “I thought I had three hours to get you out. When I reached the transport bay, you were gone.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“No.”

“Good.”

“But I need you to hear it.”

The memory fragments spun around us. His face appeared in each one—at the vault, in the records room, outside the sealed gates. Always searching. Always arriving too late.

I watched him tear into a League officer.

“Where is she?” dream-Julian demanded.

“She’s a traitor.”

“Where is she?”

“You should be thanking us.”

Dream-Julian slammed the officer into the wall.

“Tell me where she is.