Evelyn carried the case to the car while Kael kept the transfer papers beneath his jacket. Nobody stopped them on the way out, but several people followed their progress through the display hall.He waited until the car doors were closed before letting himself lean back.“The Bureau first,” he said. “I don't want that near the shop until we know what it's connected to.”Evelyn secured the case behind her seat. “I already called ahead,” she replied. “We'll use one of the protected examination rooms.”Kael phoned home while she drove. Elena answered with the television playing quietly behind her. He told her the sale was finished and that he needed to examine the object before returning.“Did you get hurt?” she asked.He glanced at Evelyn, who kept her eyes on the road.“My ribs hurt more,” Kael replied. “I'm sitting down now.”Elena drew a breath before answering. “Call before you leave that office,” she said. “Your father is pretending he isn't waiting up.”Kael promised he would. Aft

Thomas put the phone on the counter after the call ended. Maya kept her notebook open beside him, with her finger beneath the last payment.“We sent what we agreed to send,” she said.“I know,” Thomas replied. “Keep the confirmation with the hospital papers.”Elena pulled out the chair for him. He sat without protesting, though his eyes remained on the phone.Kael asked Maya to photograph the cancellation notice when it arrived. Then he went to the back of the shop and called Evelyn. He had barely finished explaining when the shop phone rang again.This time, the caller asked for Ethan.“I'm calling on behalf of the purchaser of your family's medical account,” the man said. “He would like to meet you privately at the Crown Meridian Hotel tomorrow morning.”Kael took the phone from Maya and wrote down the time and room number.“Give me his name,” he said.“He'll introduce himself at the meeting,” the man replied. “He believes he can resolve your family's financial difficulties.”“He ca

Evelyn kept her hand beside the microphone. “Have you met Lord Varyn in person?” she asked.Damian watched her through the glass. “You wouldn't understand how he reached me,” he replied.“Then explain it,” Evelyn said.Adrian moved closer to the desk, but Damian had already turned away from her. His attention returned to Kael.“You know the name,” Damian said. “You stopped asking questions when I said it.”Kael felt Evelyn looking at him. He kept his voice level.“It's connected to objects we've been examining,” he replied. “You said you remember being Kael Ardyn. Now you say he intended to take your body. Which part do you remember yourself?”Damian's fingers curled against his gown. “The memories are his,” he replied. “The body is mine. Varyn helped me understand the difference.”That explanation had been prepared for him too. It allowed Damian to claim Kael's life and power while hating the man they belonged to.Kael pulled the file closer. Evelyn had marked the pages listing the r

Evelyn stopped the recording before it could repeat.“Send officers to the center,” she said to Helen. “Silas shouldn't have been able to reach that corridor.”Helen was already making the call. Kael stayed beside the table until the pain beneath his ribs eased enough for him to move.“I need a little power before we go,” he said. “I used most of mine repairing that room.”Helen looked at his bandaged fingers, then asked a staff member to bring a cleared practice stone. Kael drew slowly while she gave instructions over the phone. He stopped when his small core was full and returned the stone for its reading to be checked.The refill gave him a reserve. His ribs and burned fingers still hurt.Evelyn called the officers at the Cole shop during the drive. The officer inside confirmed that the family was safe. She told him Silas had appeared at the medical center and ordered another check of the entrances.Kael listened until the call ended. “Tell them to contact us if they see any unusual

“Keep your hand open,” Kael said. “Does it hurt?”Maya spread her fingers while Elena pulled a chair beside his. The light remained beneath the skin, faint enough to disappear whenever Maya turned her hand toward the ceiling lamp.“It's warm,” she replied. “I thought it would stay on the window. I didn't mean to take it.”Kael rested her wrist on a folded towel. He was too tired to force another spell, and forcing one into Maya would have been a mistake even with a full core. He needed to find out what her body was doing before he interfered.Evelyn brought her detector closer, stopping when Kael raised his free hand.“Does that send power into what it checks?” he asked.“Not on this setting,” Evelyn replied. “It only reads what's already there.”He nodded and let her take the reading. The device registered a small amount of energy, then began falling as the light in Maya's finger faded.Elena leaned over the towel. “Is it leaving her?” she asked.“It's dispersing,” Kael replied. “She