-

exploded i

drum. Blood smeared across the floor from the downed guard, his body still twitching. Somewhere dow

n," Isl

nd wheezing. "They found me. I do

keep m

r walk-through with the housekeeper. A staff corridor-tight

we going?"

Isla said. "An

-and the alarms kicked in. Red strobes pulsed along the ceiling.

erimeter lockdown initiated.

ath. "Of course the damn

nst the wall. "They'

n help it,"

No matter what. If I'm not back in twenty minutes, find the tunnel behind the

ened. "You'd tru

th. "I don't have ti

e door shut, whispe

orders over radios. Someone had breached the east wing-no one knew how, no one knew who

nicked staff and heading straight for the one

r

-blood? No. Ink. A shattered screen sparked behind him. His team was

ur room," he

ems," she shot back. "

kno

re you stan

"Because you don't

fr

do you

ar. "This wasn't a random hit. The timing's too perfect

eone on the ins

You think someone in your

someon

en't you eva

ergency lockdown. Now every door's sealed, a

. "She's there. I told

nked. "Y

set near the entrance.

idn't

ust

a

ll, a weapon, a comm device,

" Isla said breathlessly

iving you

not givin

t led down to the cellar. The sirens faded behind them, but the adr

you now?" Isla asked betwe

t answer i

ttered, "M

top short. "You

enough to sell out the family if

?" Isla

My name is the crown. An

oor. Ares punched in a co

long with the distant s

tu

desce

houlder cut through the dark. Isla's fingers itched toward her n

ed: what if it wasn't a

nnel w

the closet doo

bl

Isla wh

orward, hear

le

closet w

gn of

smear

a

in rough

already

he tunnel door

s wen

s s

f footsteps ech

n her body screaming. She reached for Ares-found his arm-and they bot

secu

ancaste

one

Ares wh

ithout

un

bol

nnel. Throu

er figure at the end

!" she

beside the body a

sn't

the oth

pen. L

ched in

ash

he

cond

t up to th

down at it-a

of any file I'v

good

d it over-

d on th

Y OF DAM

of them coul

lit th

screamed from some

is, Isla! Don't trust him

-