Chapter 69 · Who were you talking about? Me?

He froze.

Evelyn took one step closer. "Who were you talking about? Me?"

"I don't know."

"You always say that when the answer gets close."

"And you always push when you should run."

"Because every time you remember something, it changes what I thought you did."

His stare cut into her. "What do you think I did?"

"You want the short version? You betrayed us. You gave the Crown the route map. You led them to my foster father's safehouse. My brother disappeared because of you."

Kade's expression barely moved, but his breathing changed. The bond carried it into her. One hard beat. Then another.

"I never led them there," he said.

"You were there."

"I was sent there."

"Same result."

"No. Not the same."

He moved toward the console. Evelyn grabbed his sleeve.

"Don't walk away from that."

Kade looked down at her hand on him. "I'm not walking away. I'm trying to keep you alive."

"You don't get to decide that for me."

"I do when your pulse is tied to mine."

"Then untie it."

"If I could, I'd have done it the second you stole my core.