Chapter 74 · The Crown's Price

"Evelyn, get away from me."

The blast doors boomed behind us.

A crack split the metal. A gloved hand punched through from the other side.

Lucas raised his gun and fired.

The bullet smashed into the soldier's armored hand. He staggered back, but three more shadows crowded behind him.

"No."

Lucas spun toward me. "You take half the kill current, you might not survive it."

"You take all of it, you definitely won't."

"That's not how this works."

"Then tell the tower to find another heir."

His eyes flashed. "There isn't another heir."

The words cut deeper than the alarms.

Not because I didn't know.

Because he did.

Lucas knew the city had spent years pretending I was dead. He knew the Voss family had buried my name, buried my bloodline, and built their entire command system around that lie.

He still looked at me like I was the threat.

"Say it again," I whispered.

"Evelyn—"

"Say there isn't another heir."

His breathing changed. My palm was still pressed to his chest, and every hard beat slammed into it.

"There isn't another heir."

"And if I die?"

His jaw locked. "Voss control dies with you."

"So you do need me."