"Tell me anyway," Silas said, voice hard and unwavering, every trace of the warmth he'd shown her earlier completely gone now.Elena set her wineglass down with trembling hands, sinking slowly back into her chair, the composed, warm woman from days ago entirely dissolved into something smaller and more frightened."I was there," she said quietly, "because your mother asked me to be. She didn't trust many people in those final weeks, Silas. But she trusted me enough to ask me to stand watch outside while she went inside to meet someone.""Meet who," Silas demanded."I don't know for certain," Elena admitted. "She never told me his name. Only that it was someone who could help her finally expose what happened to your father, someone with real standing, real influence within the Assembly's orbit."Marielle's grip tightened on Silas's arm. "Augustine.""Possibly," Elena said. "Your mother was careful, even with me. She told me only enough to keep me useful, never enough to put me at real