Chapter 14 · Mom Left a Second Lock

"You knew." I shoved the vial at his chest. "CARTER KEY. My mom's name on your lab shelf. How long were you going to keep lying?"

Kane didn't step back. The dim tunnel light caught the edges of his scars, made them look carved instead of healed. He took the vial from my hand, slow, like I might shatter it.

"Since the contract," he said.

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting right now."

I wanted to hit him. My knuckles were still raw from the cooler I'd thrown. The glass had spilled everywhere, labels soaking in whatever chemical mix kept beast blood stable. Nora had grabbed my wrist before I could go for Kane's throat.

"Evie." Nora's voice was low, careful. "Let him talk."

"He's had weeks to talk."

Kane pocketed the vial. "Your mother worked for EmberSaint. Biotech division. She pulled samples before the purge and hid them. I need those samples to break what Vale did to my people."

"And Eli?"

"Was looking for the same thing."

My chest hurt. The kind of hurt that doesn't come from running or falling. "So you married me to get to her files.