Page 70 of Bound

“Can you isolate?” Rafe asks.

Gregory’s sharp answer flies back. “If we trigger the second sequence.”

“No,” Rafe says immediately. “Not yet.”

Lucian looks at him. Rafe, built for this, doesn’t flinch.

“If we move too fast, Carlos vanishes. He wants us charging. He wants panic. We need him to believe we are still assuming the gate is one.”

I look past the gate. Beyond the iron, the Village waits. Half-built. Half-haunted.

Men on rooftops. Floodlights. Stone.

The outer row of brownstones where new walls rise over old damage.

And somewhere beneath it, Carlos is close enough to make the system breathe.

A sound crackles through the comm. Static. Then a voice. Soft. Amused.

Carlos. “Welcome home, Lucian.”

Lucian doesn’t move. His eyes stay on the gate.

Carlos laughs quietly. “Careful. If you stand outside too long, the Village may think you’re afraid to come in.”

Blaze’s hand closes around his weapon.

Rafe snarls though the private line. “Blaze. No.”

Lucian’s voice is controlled death. “Carlos.”

“King at the gate,” Carlos says. “Queen at his side. Ghost before him. How touching.”

“I can’t figure this out.” Gregory shakes his head before hissing, “Stall him.”

Rafe mouths, Keep him talking.

Lucian’s eyes flick once. Understood. But we all inwardly groan.

Conversation is not Lucian’s strong suit. He talks with his body. Trust me. I know.

“You wanted us here,” Lucian says.

“I wanted you honest.” Carlos’s voice drifts through the comms like smoke under a door. “You dress it up as strategy, but here you are. Because I called. Because I said fire. Because I said queen.”

Lucian’s hand twitches at his side. He wants to kill.

I step closer, enough that my shoulder nearly brushes his arm.

His eyes cut to mine. A warning. I choose, and right now, I’m choosing to ignore him.

“Hiya, Carlos! How you been?”

“Ah,” he says softly. “There she is. My gift to you, Lucian.”

Lucian’s entire body turns lethal.

I speak before he can shut me up. “You talk too much for a ghost still living under Lucian’s shadow.”