Chapter 24 · The Last Blood Lock

The SUV's already gone.

I'm standing in the middle of the bridge with blood on my hands and my father's device beeping in my pocket. Evan's gone. Julian's dying. And I've got maybe three hours before the eclipse hits and both of them are lost for good.

Sera's voice crackles through my phone. "Nia. Talk to me."

"They took him." My voice sounds flat even to me. "Dad put him in a black SUV and they just—"

"I know." She sounds like she's driving fast. "Tracker pinged before it cut out. They're heading to the old Vesper estate. North side."

"That's not where the vault is."

"No. It's where they'll hold him until you show up with the key." She pauses. "Julian's awake. Barely. He's asking for you."

I close my eyes. The brass key is a cold weight against my ribs. The device in my pocket beeps again—faster now. Dad's timer. His ultimatum.

Save one. Lose the other.

"Tell Julian I'm coming," I say. "Just—keep him alive."

"Nia, don't do anything stupid."

I hang up.

The walk back to my car takes forever. My hands won't stop shaking.