Adrian stared at Elena.For once, she didn't look like the woman who had always had an answer. She looked terrified."Your sister?"The words came out slowly. Elena nodded.Adrian's eyes searched her face."You said you had another child.""I did.""Before me?""Yes.""Then why have I never heard of her?"Elena swallowed."Because we were told she died."Adrian's expression hardened."We?""Your father. Lucian. Isabella..."She hesitated."And Augustus."Adrian took a step toward her."Everyone knew?""Not everyone.""Who didn't?"Elena looked toward Daniel."He didn't."Daniel frowned."What?""You were already gone by then."Daniel stared at her."I don't understand.""Neither did I."Adrian's patience was wearing thin."Mom, stop giving me pieces."His voice cracked."I need the whole truth."Elena closed her eyes."When I was nineteen, I was taken to the old Nightingale estate."Adrian listened."Why?""Because Isabella had discovered that I carried something she needed.""The Vey

The gun was steady.Too steady. Alexander stood at the end of the corridor, his arm extended, the barrel pointed directly at Elena.Nobody breathed.Adrian's eyes moved from the gun to Alexander's face."Put it down."Alexander didn't move.Elena stared at him, tears already running down her cheeks."Alexander..."His jaw tightened."I'm sorry."Adrian's grip tightened around the baby."Don't."Alexander looked at him."You don't understand.""Then explain.""I can't."Adrian took a step forward."Why is your gun pointed at my mother?"Alexander's eyes flickered."Because if I don't do this, everyone in this room dies."Amara immediately raised her weapon."That's what they all say before they pull the trigger."Alexander looked at her."Amara, lower your gun.""No.""Please.""Don't tell me what to do."Adrian stepped between them."Everyone lower their weapons."Nobody listened.The red emergency lights continued flashing.The countdown on the wall kept ticking.28:17.Adrian looked

For several seconds, nobody spoke.The words remained on the screen.FATHER: UNKNOWNIDENTITY: CLASSIFIEDAdrian stared at them.Then he looked at Gabriel."You said you never knew his face."Gabriel nodded slowly."I knew his voice.""That's not what I asked.""I never saw his face."Adrian's eyes narrowed."Then how did you know he was my father?"Gabriel's expression tightened."Because Elena told me."Adrian turned toward his mother.She was crying silently."Mom."Elena looked at him."Tell me the truth.""I don't know who he is.""You're my mother.""I know.""You carried me.""Yes.""How can you not know who my father is?"Elena closed her eyes."Because I was unconscious when you were conceived."Adrian froze.The room went silent."What?"Elena's hands trembled."I was drugged."Adrian stared at her."By whom?""I don't know."Gabriel stepped closer."I found her afterward."Elena nodded."I woke up in a room beneath the estate."She wiped her tears."There were machines ever

For several seconds, Adrian couldn't move.The underground chamber had gone strangely quiet.No alarms.No gunfire.No countdown.Only the sound of Elena crying behind him.Adrian slowly turned.His eyes settled on Gabriel."Say that again."Gabriel didn't answer.Adrian took a step toward him."Say it."Gabriel looked at Elena.Then back at Adrian."Margaret was telling the truth."Adrian's jaw tightened."About what?""Lucius."The name seemed to hang in the air.Adrian stared at him."You knew."Gabriel lowered his eyes."I suspected.""That's not what I asked.""I knew."Adrian laughed once.There was no humor in it."Of course you did."He looked around the room."Everyone knew something."His gaze moved to Elena."My mother knew something."Then to Amara."My sister knew something."Then Seraphina."My other sister knew something."Finally, he looked at Gabriel."And you knew who my father was."Gabriel swallowed."Yes."Adrian's voice became dangerously calm."How long?""Since

The words remained on the screen.SOVEREIGN SUCCESSOR: ADRIAN NIGHTINGALE. Adrian stared at them. He didn't blink.He didn't breathe for the first time in years, he genuinely had no idea what to say.Then he laughed. It was quiet.Almost empty. "The Sovereign's successor?"Nobody answered. Adrian looked around the station.His mother was crying. ucius looked defeated.Gabriel looked like he wanted to disappear.Julian was staring at the screen in disbelief.Victor was the only person who seemed to understand what Adrian was thinking.He stepped closer."Adrian..."Adrian raised a hand."Don't."Victor stopped.Adrian looked at his mother."Is this why?"Elena wiped her tears."Why what?""Why everyone kept trying to control me."She shook her head."No.""Then why?""I don't know."Adrian laughed again."That's becoming everyone's favorite answer."He pointed toward the screen."First I'm the Nightingale heir."Then he pointed toward himself."Then I'm the primary authority."He looke