“My men are at the gates.”

“I don’t care!” Victor shouted, his chest heaving.

“I am not going to a cell!”

“I will take this secret to the grave, Lucian!”

“Your sister died because she was weak!” Victor sneered, trying to find his leverage.

Lucian’s finger tightened on the trigger.

I could see the muscles in his jaw clenching so hard they looked like stone.

“Do not do it, Lucian,” I whispered, reaching out to touch his arm.

“If you shoot him, he falls into the shaft.”

“The drive goes with him.”

Lucian did not lower the gun, but he did not shoot.

“What do you want, Mara?” Lucian asked quietly, his eyes never leaving Victor.

“I want the truth,” I said.

I stepped forward, moving past Lucian.

“Mara, no,” Lucian muttered, but he did not stop me.

I walked into the center of the boiler room, my hands held out to my sides to show they were empty.

The cold air bit at my bare arms.

“Victor,” I said, my voice calm and steady.

“You know me.”

“You know what I can do.”