the na

us

e age of twenty-seven. Every file Leo's private investi

nitors-one displaying company archives, the

ments: Ardent Security Intelligence, Estate Development, and-most ala

it?" Leo muttered

he encrypte

il

s,

rom every CCTV feed we've got. Especially from the

erst

p and lea

st watching. He

ook in Cyrus's eyes

emem

d Ardent Corp. She'd stepped out to breathe, but it had

ee you again

er name. As if it

had gifted her months ago. She'd never opened it until now. The

lled it

in elegant

seek the one whose name it bears. For on

wallowe

i

ru

ra

was

ept his name. Changed a single let

ot he

rented under an alias. The room was filled with strange arti

n't gre

ss the table. Inside was a bl

in the background of a masque

oked c

stomach

Cyrus

" Rhea whispered

t h

he Order of the Veiled Flame. He led them. The sigil you foun

hed. "What does h

elle line. The only one who

the Recl

hesit

. or merge them. Cyras believes if he binds Amara to him willingl

ed. "What happens

d at him,

he dies

n, doors bolted. She didn't want Leo to see how shaken sh

turned off the ligh

wn Nu

fr

t rang

bling, sh

le

h

emembe

rimson gown. The way

nce, Mariselle.

breath

" she w

d softly.

afraid

ade wasn't just broken. It was betrayed. And you'll

threw the phone

burned agai

He didn't wait to be invited in. He stormed

t have left

't know h

did. That's why I had your pla

inked. "

e'd reach out. I wa

ied on

I did what I had to

you? Or a weapon in

le

You're everything. Tha

ned, just

t to be a pa

a queen," Leo repli

t. Beneath the marble floors, accessed by a sequence of mirrored steps a

and the room pulsed with heat. The si

ga

her. "It respon

illed t

turies: scenes of war, lovers in moonlight, a crown of fi

ra

art pounding. "T

es. "He's goin

't let

to." His hand sl

orld before I le