Chapter 7 · First Night as the Heir

The knock came again. Three sharp raps, then a woman's voice, young and careful. "Sister. Luca sent me."

Vera went still. Not frozen—Kai had seen frozen plenty of times in the rig. This was different. This was someone deciding how many bones to break on the way out.

Moss didn't move from his stool by the supply shelf, but his hand drifted toward a drawer. Kai's mark pulsed under his ribs, faint but steady, like it knew something was about to go sideways.

"Let her in," Vera said.

Moss shot her a look. "You sure?"

"She's alone. And she wouldn't have knocked if Luca wanted me dead tonight."

Kai wasn't sure that logic held up, but Moss crossed the room and opened the door anyway. The girl who stepped inside couldn't have been older than nineteen. Same sharp cheekbones as Vera, same dark eyes, but where Vera moved like she was ready to gut someone, this girl moved like she was apologizing for taking up space.

She saw Vera and stopped. Her gaze dropped to the fresh stitches on Vera's side, the blood still smeared on her sister's jaw.

"You're hurt."

"I'm fine."

"Luca said—