Chapter 67 · The Tower Remembers

"Don't let him say my name."

I reached for the broadcast switch, but Lucas caught my wrist.

His fingers locked around me. Hot. Steady. Blood had soaked through the tear in his shirt, yet his grip didn't shake as he pulled me from the console and put himself between me and the wall of screens.

On every screen, his father stood beneath the Command seal.

"Evelyn Voss is a terrorist," Vale announced. "She stole the identity of the dead heir and infiltrated this tower with help from my traitorous son."

Lucas's jaw tightened. "He doesn't get to finish that sentence."

"He knows who I am."

"So do I."

I ripped my wrist free. "No. You know the name I gave you. That's not the same thing."

The broadcast glitched. Vale's face shattered into red lines, then snapped back into focus.

Lucas pointed at the console. "You want to keep hiding?"

"I want to stop your father from turning the whole city against me."

"Then use the tower."

"It's locked."

"Not to you."

The words hit harder than they should have.

I stared at the black glass. No buttons. No key slot.