VAR

re breakfast. She didn't need anyone to say it out

when speaking to her. One of the guards in the eastern hall eyed her just a mome

or he'd told someone else and word spread.

alone, stirring her tea and sta

FAMILY IS

ace. The message came through a cha

a second time. Deleted

g her to go, to hide, or to watch herself for years. Sometimes they meant well. Sometim

n't flinch. Not until you

he'd never expected otherwise. She married Caelan Vale because his name offered her things she couldn't get as V

the ide

eople get involved. And clear

life. The records-a birth certificate, transcripts, jobs, taxes, bank acc

rous. Nothing

ia was gone. What remained was a new skin she'd built out

er. The words stuck because whoever sent it wrote, "The Vale family is not safe." Not, "You

ft her

tled down the halls with trays and flowers. Securit

rcase. A maid with folded li

y, ma

pped aside.

ut not of Varelia. Scared to

s waiting, next to Elara. Seraphina wore a cream suit

up. "Good

morn

a's plain dress. "You really don'

fee, Varelia shrugg

"I suppose that m

do

t in more effort aft

"Some women

her paper. "Conf

s. "So is knowing w

ara's face. Quick and gone. Sera

what you're going to do about

ion?" Var

elan's

ast. "Still figuring ou

"You mean you're go

n't sa

are your

her evenly. "To

urst out laughing. Seraphi

, she was learning something

Corvin, power. Lysandra,

e hated being in the dark. That made him dangerous. Bu

ed halls. Noticed which servants had been around the longest. Which doors needed codes. Which

nyone questions.

him. He handled several private rooms for the family.

n. Martin never looked straight at the cameras. He always had his back to a wall.

e, she remembered-Caelan's office was su

ain, empty-handed. Varelia, hidden in a nearby corrid

low. Not yet.

t noon, Caelan came home unexpectedly. She heard him downst

ok. Caelan appear

here,"

aren

to her book. "Wha

boo

inform

t

side. "Did yo

es

eres

hy

seem tired t

oul

people

'm not mos

ng, weighing, searching for loose edges. Whatever hi

sm

nvestigatio

n't move.

e not

ught I

re, a l

you kno

ur assistant's looked at me six

hing her. "A

itions. Elara asked the he

, soaking

them to be more c

hy

mistakes, someone

at followed ha

her. "Who

. "You kno

not what

sing her book. "But

id you get any stra

utter. Her face gav

ly knew it. But he d

glanced toward the hall. Martin was there ag

g. Very in

's office was up on the second floor, us

own the corridor, no lights, stopping outside the office, peek

ed hidde

inutes. Ten. At seventeen, he stepped

little longer

sily. The alarms should've been tripped

dar. Everything in place. Desk. Comput

drawers, nothing. Computer, no

oice beh

for som

rway. No tie, jacket off, but his

," Vare

his bookshel

es

midn

ldn't

ve a li

kno

me here

s cur

ut w

r bo

ck. "You coul

you s

N

ng seemed

k at her. "Get som

im. At the doorwa

ndering

rned.

one here i

ght her

warning?"

es

r m

any

t, then left. When his

's desk-a tiny metallic speck, n

itary-grade listening gear. Not standard. She turned it over. Etched on

n-they slipped a device into the private office of the Vale

her mind racing. That encrypte

FAMILY IS

wondered-was the sender warning