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The corners of his lips tighten, giving me the answer.

“And what after that?” Anger carries me another step forward. “If I had gone along with the plan, what would have been next? Would Mikhail have convinced you I was too immoral? That I’d do anything to gain power, including killing kids?”

The security men exchange glances but don’t move. One of them shifts from one foot to the other, the soft scuff of his boot across the floor loud in the corridor.

My fist thumps over my heart. “You have to see how there was no way I would have ever come out of this situation with honor!”

A hand on the back of my jacket stops me from getting any closer to my brother, and I back step to put myself in front of Orien once more.

“I went to the Blue Note because you asked me to confirm if there was a threat,” I say. “I found no evidence of hostile intent. But Mikhail was never going to let that be enough, was he?”

Orien speaks up for the first time. “If it matters, we also received a letter, warning us of the Vartanians’ plan to send a spy.”

“It’s why we knew to be on the lookout, and part of how we identified Lev so fast.” Orien squeezes my waist in apology. “But Lev didn’t do anything to hurt us.”

Alexei’s eyes don’t leave mine, but his grip on the gun slackens a fraction.

“Someone is trying to play the Vartanians against the Blue Note.” I lick my dry lips. “We have a common enemy here, and destroying each other will only play right into their hands.”

Alexei’s shoulders drop. He looks at Orien and then me. “Take him and go.”

He lowers his gun, the barrel swinging down to point at the floor, and his thumb finds the safety, clicking it into place.

“I won’t come after you,” he adds. “Either of you.”

My throat is dry, my palms damp, but I don’t wipe them on my jeans. I don’t break eye contact. I don’t give him an opening to interpret as weakness.

“And Uncle Mikhail?”

Alexei pulls back behind familiar walls, and he holsters the weapon with a single smooth motion. “I’ll handle it.”

For a moment, neither of us moves, as if we both understand that once I walk out the door, it will be the last time I come back here.

Then I step forward, Orien right at my back, completely ignoring the safety of staying two steps behind me.

Alexei doesn’t move out of our way, though, and we stop in front of him.

“You still have time to change your mind,” my brother says, a plea in the words. “We could reach an agreement with…” He acknowledges Orien with a curt tilt of his head. “Him.”

“I made my choice.” I reach back to take my mate’s hand. “I’m not changing it.”

As the fight leaves him, only grief and acceptance remain. His hand rises to my shoulder. “I know. But I wanted you to hear yourself say it.”

I cover his hand with mine, squeezing once. “This isn’t goodbye… But things will be different from what they were in the past.”

He lets out a slow breath and steps back. “Stay in touch. Weekly, at minimum.”

It’s not a request. It’s the barest possible reclamation of the ground between us, not brother to brother nor family to family, but a channel remains open when others close.

“I will,” I promise.

He turns to the security team with a gesture that sends them moving down the corridor ahead of him. They go without question, the sound of their footsteps fading as they round the corner.

Alexei waits until they’re out of sight before speaking again. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“I know,” I say.

“Come on,” Alexei turns toward the exit at the end of the corridor. “I’ll walk you both out.”