lNobody spoke.
Adrian stared at his brother as if he were looking at a stranger wearing Lucian's face.
"What did you do?" he asked.
Lucian rubbed his bloodied wrists, avoiding his gaze. "I was fifteen. I didn't understand what was happening."
"That's not an answer."
"I know."
"Then give me one!"
The shout echoed through the station.
Lucian flinched, and something inside me twisted. Whatever he'd done, he was terrified. But fear didn't make a person innocent.
"I found the documents first," Lucian admitted. "Father had hidden them in his study. I didn't know what they meant, but I recognized Marcus's name. I thought I could use them to force him to leave our family alone."
Adrian's expression darkened. "You contacted him?"
"I thought he would negotiate."
"You gave him the evidence?"
"I gave him copies. I kept the originals."
Marcus chuckled. "A clever boy, wasn't he? Unfortunately, he forgot that men like me don't negotiate with children."
Lucian's fists clenched. "You promised you wouldn't hurt anyone."
"And you believed me." Marcus shook his head. "Your father made the same mistake."
Adrian took a step toward his brother. "Did you tell them where our father was meeting Daniel?"
Lucian's silence answered him.
Adrian closed his eyes.
For a moment, I thought he might shoot his brother.
Instead, he lowered his weapon.
"You were the only family I had left."
Lucian's face crumpled. "Adrian, please."
"You let me spend six years believing our father died because of something he did. You watched me hunt for his killers while you knew what happened."
"I was trying to protect you!"
"From what? The truth?"
"From Marcus!" Lucian shouted back. "You don't understand. He threatened to kill you if I told anyone. He said he'd make sure you suffered the same way Father did."
"And you thought keeping quiet would save me?"
"I was fifteen!"
The words hung between them.
For the first time, Adrian looked uncertain.
Then a gun clicked behind us.
Victor had recovered his weapon.
"Beautiful family reunion," he said. "But I'm growing tired of the conversation."
He aimed at Lucian.
"Now, Adrian, put your gun down. Unless you'd like to watch another brother die tonight."
Adrian obeyed slowly, placing his weapon on the ground.
I glanced toward the station entrance. The remaining guards were distracted by the confrontation, and Marcus was still struggling with his injured hand.
There was a narrow opening between two carriages.
An opportunity.
A terrible, probably suicidal opportunity.
I leaned toward Adrian and whispered, "When I move, get Lucian."
His eyes widened. "Elena, don't you dare—"
I stepped forward before he could finish.
"Victor."
He shifted his aim toward me. "What?"
"You want the silver pendant, don't you?"
His expression changed.
I reached beneath my collar and pulled out the small silver necklace I had worn since childhood. I had found it among my belongings after my father's death, but I'd never understood why I'd kept it.
Victor stared at it greedily.
"Give it to me."
"Let them go first."
He laughed. "You really are your father's daughter."
"And you're really predictable."
I threw the pendant.
Victor's eyes followed it as it sailed past him, landing beneath the nearest carriage.
For one second, he forgot about his gun.
That was all Adrian needed.
He lunged toward Lucian as I dropped to the ground. A shot exploded overhead, followed by the sound of men shouting and bodies crashing against metal.
Someone grabbed my arm and dragged me behind a carriage.
"Are you insane?" Adrian demanded.
"Probably!"
He stared at me, furious and relieved.
Then his expression changed.
"Elena, where's the pendant?"
I looked toward the tracks.
It was gone.
So was Victor.
And from somewhere beyond the station, an engine roared to life.
Adrian swore.
Lucian appeared beside us, pale and breathless.
"He's going to the harbor," he said. "That's where the original records are stored."
Adrian turned sharply. "How do you know that?"
Lucian looked at me.
"Because I didn't just give Marcus copies of the documents."
He swallowed.
"I gave him the location of the vault."
My blood ran cold.
"What vault?"
Lucian's voice dropped to a whisper.
"The one holding the proof of who ordered both your fathers' deaths."
He looked at Adrian.
"And if Victor reaches it first, we'll never know the truth."
Adrian retrieved his gun and offered me his hand.
I stared at it for a moment before taking it.
I still didn't forgive him.
But I needed answers.
And somewhere in the darkness, Victor Hale had the key to every secret that had destroyed our lives.
This time, I intended to get there first.