Chapter 13 · His eyes went cold. "Careful." "What are you

His eyes went cold. "Careful."

"What are you going to do? Arrest me? Drag me to the Crown? You already lost that privilege when your people put my brother in a cage."

"My people?"

"You want the title? Fine. Your Crown. Your convoy. Your prison. Your mess."

Kade stepped toward her. His shoulder brushed hers, and the bond answered with a dull, hot thump.

"You think I don't know what the Crown did?" he asked.

"I think you know exactly enough to keep lying."

His mouth tightened. "You want the truth?"

"I want my brother back."

"Then listen. The convoy isn't taking him to a prison."

Evelyn went still. "Where are they taking him?"

Kade looked at the red countdown. 07:52.

"The core chamber."

"Why?"

"Because your brother can open it."

Mira's expression changed. "No. He can't."

"The Crown tagged him as a compatible anchor," Kade said. "His bloodline matches the old rift calibration records."

Evelyn's stomach turned. "He's fourteen."

"That doesn't matter to them."

"It matters to me."

"Then stop wasting time."

She slapped him.

The crack echoed through the cramped room.

Kade's head turned with the blow. He slowly faced her again.