“'Order' is such a cruel word.” He opened the briefcase. I saw the glint of a pistol inside. “I corrected a weakness in the system. Yourmother wanted reform. Open gates. Transparency. Reform breeds revolution.”
“She wanted to help people.”
“She wanted to destroy the monarchy.” His voice stayed soft. Conversational. Like we were discussing weather instead of murder. “I saved the crown. Saved the kingdom. Your father understands this. On some level. That's why he never pushed.”
“You're a monster.”
“I'm a pragmatist.” His hand moved toward the briefcase. “You should thank me. Her death gave you purpose. Gave me a kingdom to stabilize.”
Dom fired.
The shot went wide as Marcel dove behind the desk. His return fire was immediate. Professional. Clean.
Glass exploded. The window behind me shattered, spraying shards across expensive carpet.
Dom's shoulder bloomed red. He staggered, caught himself against the doorframe.
“Go!” he snarled at me. “Sebastian, go!”
I grabbed the files. Shoved them into my satchel. My bow was already in my hands, arrow nocked before thought.
Marcel's voice cut through chaos. “She was right about you, you know. Too much heart. That's what got her killed.”
My arrow flew.
It caught the lamp above his head. Fire burst across the drapes, spreading fast. Smoke filled the room, thick and choking.
Through the haze, I saw Marcel move. Not toward us. Toward the secondary door. The one that led to his private escape route.
Running.
Always running while other people bled.
I lunged after him. Dom caught my arm.
“Let him go,” he gasped. Blood soaked through his tactical gear. Too much blood. “We got what we came for.”
“He killed her?—”
“And he'll pay for it. But not if you're dead.” He pulled me toward the main door. “Move, Your Highness. That's an order.”
Alarms shrieked. Red lights flashed. The palace was waking up.
We ran.
Through corridors filling with smoke. Past guards rushing toward the fire. Down service stairs that led to forgotten passages.
Dom's breathing got worse with every step. Labored. Wet.
“Almost there,” I said. Lying. We were nowhere close to safe.
“You're a terrible liar.”
“Learned from the best.”
Viktor's voice crackled through my comm. “Sebastian, report.”
“We're out. We're— shit.”
