la was

brushing past him held a recollection of Elena. Her laughter reverberated off the marble. Her bare feet were on the cold t

d

alls like a ghost who ha

was

rage, his grief-was at battle with the

ed the surveillance room, his voice low. "Just like you or

Her picture flickered into view, Elena standing by the window of

who helped fake her death. Who financed

n't a pawn in som

awn," Dante replied bitterly. "An

u don't think sh

love stopped mattering the day she left a bu

ouldn't

ent wood, good leather, and that subtle hin

that she

e of the dresser they had used to fight on. That her skin stil

she didn't ha

ed with wind. But what chilled her

qu

fami

the door. It creaked when she opened

gu

urpr

em... She nar

tch every fifteen seconds. Not once did he gaze to

enough to identify a terr

ne's n

she pulled a thin nail file. She twisted the handle, popping it apart t

she'd learned in t

llahan guard. Ne

, gripping the swor

ams resumed

out the walls like old ghosts. Fire. Screams. Blood on his hands. His father's wor

enched in sweat, fists c

mare neve

wn, the woman bleeding out

as E

ext m

any dinner table, her fork untouched, gaze loc

inking black coffee l

ked for a l

e broke th

ome ba

ice flat. "I didn't com

you'd be in a cage. You're n

s not m

t

was

"So you faked your d

our bed. And when I looked for help, the only thing

the mug. "You thin

If you didn't, why

urie

idn'

n't say a word fo

dn't know who

e. Someone helped you vanish. Someone helped you change your identity, acqui

d. "I did what I h

this like you

before the wedding. Even when you promised me

show it. Not with his face.

like this. Because this isn't a conversation between a husband and a wife. T

r th

d Dante with a

got a

the balcony, inter

rs ago. He's the one who prepared the identity package for E

e is

alias of Simon Var

eyes n

l th

"You want t

want the truth? Let's

12 Hour

. Modern sculptures. Abstract pieces. And

ations like she didn't recognize a

been her

s her

as E

named Mar

nd, his presence like a f

gallery, a man step

ard. Tailored suit. Eye

e twisting. "Or should I say...

o, Vi

ard. "You're the o

ave me three weeks and a burner phone. And she was extremely specific: "If

left Vincent's. "Wh

shed. "That's the re

breath

u k

. The shooter was sent by someone of her own lineage. Someone has access.

council voted on t

looked a

was there that

yes b

mo

villa, 48

hing c

the CCTV camera in their former villa. A woman in black departed thr

s face was

nmist

s protecting me,

coldly." To whoever would be

, the memory ca

that night. The way she embraced

e loved me, E

ves pow

near her. "S

k

e her dow

voice cracked. "No.

wher

he back of a cathedral, sp

the voice whispered.

r, a candle

pped from

the