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Hargen sits beside me, his presence familiar and steadying after days lost in visions. “It’s complicated, Lila.”

“It always is.” I reach for his hand, gripping it with what little strength I have. “But I won’t survive in this place much longer.”

His fingers curl around mine, warm and solid. “Then I guess we need a plan.”

“Yes.” I close my eyes, Elena’s face hovering in my mind’s eye. Years of separation, of sacrifice, of protection from afar. “We need a plan.”

And it begins with getting strong enough to fight. For my daughter. For myself. For the future I’ve glimpsed in flames.

Chapter 14

Talon

The surveillance photos stream across my tablet for the fifth time today. I can’t stop examining them.

Elena Ross from a dozen different directions. Some arriving at the Craven Industries offices. Some interacting with others. Some where she’s with Caleb Craven.

It’s been seven days since she walked into Craven Industries under false pretenses. Seven days of watching her through security feeds, building dossiers, and reporting her every movement to people who want to use her like they’ve used her mother.

My finger hovers over the screen, pausing on an image where Caleb is watching her. The dragon CEO lets his guard slip when he thinks no one’s looking. I recognize that look. The same one I fight to keep off my face whenever I’m with Lila.

Desire. Fascination. The beginning of something dangerous.

I don’t know where it came from, but I’ve been powerless to resist.

I close the feed and rise from my desk, muscles stiff from sitting too long. The quarters they’ve assigned me are spacious by Syndicate standards, but still a cage. Everything in this place is.

“Reeve.” The voice crackles through my comms unit. “Meeting in Operations, ten minutes.”

Creed. Summoning his dog to heel.

I acknowledge with a grunt and grab my security tablet. Time for another performance in my ongoing charade.

The corridors feel different today. More guards, new security protocols I wasn’t consulted on. Changes implemented while I slept. The Syndicate closing ranks around their most valuable assets.

Around Lila.

Three days since she fought her way back to consciousness, and they’re already planning to put her back to work. Three days of watching her struggle to rebuild her strength while they discuss her like she’s equipment rather than a person.

The rage sits in my gut like smoldering coals. I stifle it, force it down where it can’t show on my face or in my eyes.

The Operations room hums with activity as I enter. A dozen analysts at monitoring stations, tracking energy signatures, surveillance feeds, communication channels. The nerve center of Syndicate intelligence gathering.

Creed stands at the central table with Dr. Emerson and two security officers I don’t recognize. New faces. Not good.

“Reeve.” Creed nods, not bothering with pleasantries. “Your report on the Ross girl.”

I approach, pulling up the necessary files on my tablet. “Day seven of observation. Subject continues to perform her assigned tasks without deviation from cover story.”

“And?” Creed’s impatience bleeds through his professional veneer.

“She’s making progress,” I continue. “Cataloging files in the archives as requested by Craven. Standard investigative methodology. Searching for the information Blackthorn hired her to find.”

“Has she accessed the secure levels yet?” Emerson asks, eyes flat and cold.

“No. Craven’s keeping her on a tight leash. Restricting access to upper levels only. She hasn’t been near the lower vaults.” We’re now certain that this is where the clan would keep the Heartstone.

Creed’s jaw tightens. “Timeline’s too slow. We need her in those vaults.”

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