Marcus looked smug, his hands tucked into his pockets as he gestured with a champagne flute.

“He’s here,” Alexander murmured, his jaw tightening.

“Do not look at them,” I said quietly. “Keep moving toward the west corridor.”

The private study was located behind the security doors near the historical archives.

I checked my watch.

Ten minutes left on the camera loop.

“I will draw Victoria away,” Alexander said.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “She will call security the moment she sees you.”

“She won’t,” he said. “Not in front of the press.”

“She has too much pride to make a scene here.”

He took a deep breath and stepped into the light of the main hall.

I watched him walk toward Victoria.

I slipped into the shadows of the corridor, moving quickly toward the study door.

The door to Victoria’s private study was solid mahogany.

It had an electronic deadbolt.

I pulled out my cloner and hooked it to the door’s sensor plate.

The red light on the panel pulsed slowly.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I waited for the bypass code to generate.