The Ghost i

crypt," Elara whispered, her eyes

e digital connection. He stood up, the red rose still clutched in his hand, and walked toward the c

dn't look at the screen; he looked at the blurred world outside the SUV windo

eckage. We had a cl

ara demanded. She pulled Milo closer. The boy wa

held scanner. "If Silas is alive, the entire Thorne inheritance is in question. The will was p

ces clicking into place with a sickening snap. "He was hid

pet to see who would crawl out of the wo

a halt at the gates

gh it. Caspian's lead security detail jumped out before the car had fully stopp

car," Caspian

the only one who can bypass the internal security. If Silas is in there, he's al

at Milo. "Then we move fas

broken only by the distant wail of a siren that wouldn't arrive in time. E

rom the inside," she said. "We

nd expensive wax filling their lungs. As they reached the kit

here! I kept the boy! Just tell

hed the d

ed behind his back with a zip-tie. Standing over him was the man from the video. He looked older than the p

idn't look at Julian. He looked at Caspian. "Hello, li

as's chest. "You're a long way fr

fingers. "But the betrayal was colder. Did our father tell you

were a liability

turned his gaze to Elara, his eyes roam

ble architect. The woman who built

Elara asked, her voice steady despite the hamm

ere are no Morettis. I just needed Julian to sound convincing enough to bring you home. You see, Elara, the Thorne estate requires a signa

sign over the est

ulian's back. "But I also want the boy. You see, Elara, Juli

ooked down at Milo, who was hidi

n's secret," Silas s

ne. Julian was just the caretaker. He was supposed to keep my son safe while I

he floor. "I loved her! I t

em both!" El

me the boy, Elara, and sign the renunciation. You can go back to be

e," Elara said, step

n't just lock the doors, Elara. I know you built the security here. But I'm the one who funded the upg

t white. "You ri

becomes a vacuum," Silas sai

brother into the kitchen island. The remote skittered acr

Caspian

ulian, desperate and broken, tripped her as she passed

hrieked, his eyes glazed with madnes

erator, his bound hands clawin

already touched it. A hissing sound began

yelled, pinned in a

kill th

ked when she fell. The screen was flickering, l

e garage! Now!"

e two men fighting on the floor, then at

his hands around Caspian's throat. "Tell

e of code still visible. It wasn't the gas

breath,"

fist onto the

idn't just spray water,they released a thick, white chemical foa

lara felt a han

voice hisse

o, away from the exit. She felt the co

into the white fog. "Caspian

gas continued. Th

cried out from some

oser, Milo!" E

ilas growled, his bl

f code or the boy bre

mask of fury. He held his gun leveled, but

e!" Sila

ian. She saw the cal

he realized that t

ceholder'," Elara sai

aused.

he gas," she said.

all I ever was

d on the wall through the f

ssing

n't unlock. Instead, the red e

do?" Silas t

ile touching her lips. "That was the police silent al

re with me!"

," Elar

he floor. He had managed to get his hands arou

e!" Julian

swu

d with a sickening crack. Silas slumped for

olling pin toward Elara, his face twist

erything," Jul

lun

ian

sparks flying, but Julian w

ak door to the dining

Italian suit, stepped through the debris. He held

in the shoulder, kn

ne brothers, and walked straight to Milo.

," the man said in a

t Elara, his eye

said. "And I believe you have som